Relating to making a donation to the operation game thief fund when applying for a hunting or fishing license.

Contracts

• License Deputy Agreements: Expect amendments to your authorized agent agreement with TPWD to mandate the presentation of donation options.
• Vendor SLAs: If you utilize third-party POS software for license issuance, issue a change order immediately to ensure the specific donation logic ($1, $5, $10, $20) is coded and tested.

Hiring/Training

• Cashier Scripting: Staff must be trained to verbally prompt the customer or direct them to the donation screen during the transaction.
• Reconciliation Training: Managers must be trained to identify these funds as non-revenue pass-throughs during end-of-day reconciliation to prevent accounting errors.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Receipt Generation: Customer receipts must list the donation as a distinct line item for tax deduction purposes and to separate it from your gross taxable revenue.
• Remittance Schedules: Ensure your accounting cycle aligns with TPWD’s requirement to deposit these funds into the state fund by the 14th day of the following month.

Fees & Costs

• Merchant Processing Absorption: The statute allows TPWD to deduct administrative costs but does not extend this right to vendors. You will likely absorb credit card processing fees (approx. 2-3%) on the donation amounts, as you must remit the full face value of the donation to the state.