By: Smith (Senate Sponsor - Huffman) H.B. No. 2950

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2021; May 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; May 21, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 21, 2021, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the composition of and actions transferred by the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 74.161(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The judicial panel on multidistrict litigation consists of five members designated from time to time by the [chief justice of the] supreme court. The members of the panel must be active, former, or retired court of appeals justices or active administrative judges.

SECTION 2. Section 74.1625(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation may not transfer:

(1) an action brought by the consumer protection division of the attorney general's office under Subchapter E, Chapter 17, Business & Commerce Code[, except an action specifically authorized by Section 17.50 of that code]; or

(2) an action brought under Chapter 36, Human Resources Code.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an action commenced on or after the effective date of this Act. An action commenced before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

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, 2021.

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