By: Watson, et al. S.B. No. 416
(Smithee)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the composition of the board of directors of the State
Bar of Texas.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 81.020, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read
as follows:
(b) The board is composed of:
(1) the officers of the state bar;
(2) the president, president-elect, and immediate
past president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association;
(3) not more than 30 members of the state bar elected
by the membership from their district as determined by the board;
(4) six persons appointed by the supreme court and
confirmed by the senate who are not attorneys and who do not have,
other than as consumers, a financial interest in the practice of
law; and
(5) four outreach [minority member] directors
appointed by the president as provided by Subsections [Subsection]
(d) and (e).
(d) The president of the state bar appoints the outreach
[minority member] directors, subject to confirmation by the board
of directors. In making appointments under this subsection, the
president shall [attempt to] appoint directors who demonstrate the
sensitivity and knowledge gained from experiences in the legal
profession and community necessary to ensure the board represents
the interests of attorneys from the varied backgrounds that compose
the membership of the state bar, including members of historically
underrepresented [members of the different minority] groups
[listed in Section 81.002(7)].
(e) Outreach [Minority member] directors serve three-year
terms. To be eligible for appointment as an outreach [a minority
member] director, at the time of appointment a person may [must:
[(1) be a minority member of the bar;
[(2)] not be serving as:
(1) an elected director [at the time of appointment];
or
(2) an outreach [and
[(3) not be serving as a minority member] director [at
the time of appointment].
SECTION 2. Section 81.002(7), Government Code, is repealed.
SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 81.020, Government
Code, as amended by this Act, a minority member serving on the board
of directors of the State Bar of Texas on the effective date of this
Act continues to serve the term to which the director was appointed.
On expiration of the director's term, the president of the State Bar
of Texas shall appoint an outreach director as required by Section
81.020, Government Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 4. 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.