By Rodriguez, et al.                                   H.B. No. 850
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to permitting certain students to take the examination for
    1-3  a license to practice law in this state.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  (a)  Sections 82.0241(a) and (c), Government
    1-6  Code, effective until June 1, 1993, are amended to read as follows:
    1-7        (a)  A person who was enrolled at the Reynaldo G. Garza
    1-8  School of Law <located in the City of Edinburg before June 1,
    1-9  1989,> and who satisfies the law study requirements for taking the
   1-10  examination for a license to practice law in this state before June
   1-11  1, 1997 <1993>, may not be denied licensing solely on the basis of
   1-12  having been graduated from that school.
   1-13        (c)  This section expires June 1, 1997 <1993>.  This section
   1-14  expires on January 1, 1994, unless the administration of Reynaldo
   1-15  G. Garza School of Law before that date submits to the Board of Law
   1-16  Examiners evidence that the school has applied for accreditation by
   1-17  the American Bar Association.
   1-18        (b)  This section takes effect only if this Act takes effect
   1-19  before June 1, 1993.
   1-20        SECTION 2.  (a)  Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code,
   1-21  is amended by adding Section 82.0242 to read as follows:
   1-22        Sec. 82.0242.  GARZA SCHOOL OF LAW:  TEMPORARY PROVISION.
   1-23  (a)  A person who was enrolled at the Reynaldo G. Garza School of
   1-24  Law and who satisfies the law study requirements for taking the
    2-1  examination for a license to practice law in this state before June
    2-2  1, 1999, may not be denied licensing solely on the basis of having
    2-3  been graduated from that school.
    2-4        (b)  The Reynaldo G. Garza School of Law shall provide
    2-5  written notice of this temporary provision to each person who is
    2-6  enrolled or was enrolled at the school at any time.
    2-7        (c)  This section expires June 1, 1997.  This section expires
    2-8  on January 1, 1994, unless the administration of Reynaldo G. Garza
    2-9  School of Law before that date submits to the Board of Law
   2-10  Examiners evidence that the school has applied for accreditation by
   2-11  the American Bar Association.
   2-12        (b)  This section takes effect only if this Act takes effect
   2-13  on or after June 1, 1993.
   2-14        SECTION 3.  Section 82.0241, Government Code, to be effective
   2-15  June 1, 1993, is amended to read as follows:
   2-16        Sec. 82.0243 <82.0241>.  UNACCREDITED SCHOOLS OF LAW.  All
   2-17  matters relating to licensing of persons who were enrolled at
   2-18  unaccredited schools of law in this state are within the exclusive
   2-19  jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of Texas and those
   2-20  persons graduating from the Reynaldo G. Garza School of Law may not
   2-21  be denied examination by the Board of Law Examiners or licensing
   2-22  solely on the basis of graduating from that school.
   2-23        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-25  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-26  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-27  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    3-1  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    3-2  passage, and it is so enacted.