85R2108 MM-D
By: Johnson of Dallas H.B. No. 220
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a person's eligibility to take the state's bar
examination and to supreme court approval of law schools for the
purpose of establishing eligibility.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 82.024, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 82.024. LAW STUDY REQUIREMENTS; ELIGIBILITY FOR
EXAMINATION. (a) A person who has completed the prescribed study
in an approved law school has satisfied the law study requirements
for taking the examination for a license to practice law and is
eligible to take the bar examination.
(b) An approved law school is one that is approved by the
supreme court under Section 82.025 or other law for the [time]
period designated by the court as maintaining the additional
standards to retain approval.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 82.0242 to read as follows:
Sec. 82.0242. LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES; ELIGIBILITY FOR
EXAMINATION. (a) Notwithstanding Section 82.0241, a person who
graduates from a law school at an institution of higher education,
as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, is eligible to take
the state's bar examination regardless of whether the person has
completed law study in an approved law school as required by Section
82.024 if the person satisfies all other requirements to be
eligible to take the examination.
(b) The same procedures and deadlines apply to a person
eligible to take the state's bar examination under this section as
apply to a person who has completed the law study requirements in
Section 82.024.
SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 82.025 to read as follows:
Sec. 82.025. LAW SCHOOL APPROVAL. The supreme court shall
adopt rules and procedures for a law school to become an approved
law school for purposes of Section 82.024. Rules and procedures
adopted under this section must provide for the supreme court's
approval of a law school at an institution of higher education, as
defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, regardless of whether
the law school is approved by the American Bar Association.
SECTION 4. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Supreme
Court of Texas shall adopt rules and procedures necessary to
implement Section 82.025, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.