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               AN ACT
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            relating to a contractor's or subcontractor's right to elect not to  | 
         
         
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            proceed with additional work under a contract. | 
         
         
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                   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 2251, Government Code, is  | 
         
         
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            amended by adding Section 2251.0521 to read as follows: | 
         
         
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                   Sec. 2251.0521.  UNSIGNED CHANGE ORDER.  (a)  In this  | 
         
         
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            section: | 
         
         
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                         (1)  "Public work contract" has the meaning assigned by  | 
         
         
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            Section 2253.001. | 
         
         
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                         (2)  "Subcontract" means a contract between a  | 
         
         
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            subcontractor and a vendor who is providing services under a public  | 
         
         
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            work contract. | 
         
         
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                   (b)  A vendor may elect not to proceed with additional work  | 
         
         
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            directed by a governmental entity under a public work contract if: | 
         
         
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                         (1)  the vendor has not received a written, fully  | 
         
         
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            executed change order for the governmental entity-directed  | 
         
         
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            additional work; and | 
         
         
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                         (2)  the aggregate actual or anticipated value of the  | 
         
         
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            additional work under the vendor's contract terms plus any previous  | 
         
         
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            governmental entity-directed additional work for which the vendor  | 
         
         
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            has not received a written, fully executed change order exceeds 10  | 
         
         
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            percent of the vendor's original public work contract amount. | 
         
         
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                   (c)  A subcontractor may elect not to proceed with additional  | 
         
         
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            work directed by a vendor under a subcontract if: | 
         
         
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                         (1)  the subcontractor has not received a written,  | 
         
         
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            fully executed change order for the governmental entity-directed  | 
         
         
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            additional work from the vendor; and | 
         
         
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                         (2)  the aggregate actual or anticipated value of the  | 
         
         
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            additional work under the subcontractor's subcontract terms plus  | 
         
         
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            any previous governmental entity-directed additional work for  | 
         
         
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            which the subcontractor has not received a written, fully executed  | 
         
         
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            change order exceeds 10 percent of the subcontractor's subcontract  | 
         
         
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            amount. | 
         
         
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                   (d)  A vendor or subcontractor who elects not to proceed with  | 
         
         
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            additional work as provided by this section is not responsible for  | 
         
         
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            damages associated with the election not to proceed. | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 2.  Chapter 28, Property Code, is amended by adding  | 
         
         
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            Section 28.0091 to read as follows: | 
         
         
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                   Sec. 28.0091.  UNSIGNED CHANGE ORDER.  (a)  A contractor or  | 
         
         
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            subcontractor may elect not to proceed with additional work  | 
         
         
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            directed by an owner if: | 
         
         
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                         (1)  the contractor or subcontractor has not received a  | 
         
         
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            written, fully executed change order for the owner-directed  | 
         
         
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            additional work; and | 
         
         
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                         (2)  the aggregate actual or anticipated value of the  | 
         
         
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            additional work plus any previous owner-directed additional work  | 
         
         
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            for which the contractor or subcontractor has not received a  | 
         
         
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            written, fully executed change order exceeds 10 percent of the  | 
         
         
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            contractor's or subcontractor's original contract amount. | 
         
         
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                   (b)  A contractor or subcontractor who elects not to proceed  | 
         
         
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            with additional work as provided by this section is not responsible  | 
         
         
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            for damages associated with the election not to proceed. | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 3.  Section 2251.0521, Government Code, and Section   | 
         
         
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            28.0091, Property Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a  | 
         
         
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            contract entered into on or after the effective date of this Act. | 
         
         
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                   SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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               President of the Senate | 
            Speaker of the House      | 
         
         
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                   I certify that H.B. No. 3485 was passed by the House on May 8,  | 
         
         
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            2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 2, 1 present, not  | 
         
         
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            voting. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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            Chief Clerk of the House    | 
         
         
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                   I certify that H.B. No. 3485 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
         
         
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            19, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1. | 
         
         
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            ______________________________ | 
         
         
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            Secretary of the Senate     | 
         
         
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            APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
         
         
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                               Date           | 
         
         
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                      _____________________ | 
         
         
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                             Governor        |