| 4 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 7 | | relating to procurement of a contingent fee contract for legal |
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| 6 | 8 | | services by certain governmental entities. |
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| 7 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 2254.101(2), Government Code, is amended |
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| 9 | 11 | | to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 12 | | (2) "Contingent fee contract" means a contract for |
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| 11 | 13 | | legal services under which the amount or the payment of the fee for |
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| 12 | 14 | | the services is contingent in whole or in part on the outcome of the |
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| 13 | 15 | | matter for which the services were obtained. The term includes an |
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| 14 | 16 | | amendment to a contract for legal services described by this |
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| 15 | 17 | | subdivision if the amendment: |
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| 16 | 18 | | (A) changes the scope of representation; or |
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| 17 | 19 | | (B) may result in: |
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| 18 | 20 | | (i) the filing of an action; or |
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| 19 | 21 | | (ii) the amending of a petition in an |
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| 20 | 22 | | existing action. |
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| 21 | 23 | | SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 22 | 24 | | a contract or contract amendment entered into on or after the |
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| 23 | 25 | | effective date of this Act. |
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| 24 | 26 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 25 | 27 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 26 | 28 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 27 | 29 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 28 | 30 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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| 29 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 30 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 31 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1821 passed the Senate on |
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| 32 | | - | April 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 33 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 34 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 35 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1821 passed the House on |
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| 36 | | - | May 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, one |
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| 37 | | - | present not voting. |
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| 38 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 39 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 40 | | - | Approved: |
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| 41 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 42 | | - | Date |
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| 43 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | | - | Governor |
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