| 1 | 1 | | 82R27895 CAE-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Duncan S.B. No. 1271 |
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| 3 | 3 | | (Perry) |
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| 4 | 4 | | Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1271: No. |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to alternative dispute resolution systems established by |
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| 10 | 10 | | counties. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 152.001, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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| 13 | 13 | | Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 152.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "alternative |
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| 15 | 15 | | dispute resolution system" means an informal forum in which |
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| 16 | 16 | | mediation, conciliation, or arbitration is used to resolve disputes |
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| 17 | 17 | | among individuals, entities, and units of government, including |
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| 18 | 18 | | those having an ongoing relationship such as relatives, neighbors, |
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| 19 | 19 | | landlords and tenants, employees and employers, and merchants and |
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| 20 | 20 | | consumers. |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 152.002, Civil Practice |
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| 22 | 22 | | and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (a) The commissioners court of a county by order may |
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| 24 | 24 | | establish an alternative dispute resolution system for the |
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| 25 | 25 | | peaceable and expeditious resolution of [citizen] disputes. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 27 | 27 | | a case referred to a county alternative dispute resolution system |
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| 28 | 28 | | on or after the effective date of this Act. A case referred before |
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| 29 | 29 | | the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when |
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| 30 | 30 | | the case is referred, and the former law is continued in effect for |
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| 31 | 31 | | that purpose. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 33 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 34 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 35 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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