S.B. No. 416
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 at-large [minority member] directors
appointed by the president as provided by Subsections [Subsection]
(d) and (e).
(d) The president of the state bar appoints the at-large
[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
knowledge gained from experience 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 [members of the different minority groups listed in
Section 81.002(7)].
(e) At-large [Minority member] directors serve three-year
terms. To be eligible for appointment as an at-large [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 at-large [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 Section 81.002(7), Government Code, is repealed.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 at-large 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.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 416 passed the Senate on
April 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1;
May 25, 2017, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 26, 2017, House
granted request of the Senate; May 28, 2017, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 416 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 18, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
Nays 4, two present not voting; May 26, 2017, House granted request
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 27, 2017, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 113, Nays 32, four present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor