By Hamric H.B. No. 901 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to changes in plans, specifications, or proposals 1-3 pertaining to contracts made by counties. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 262.031(b), Local Government Code, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 (b) If a change order involves an increase or decrease in 1-8 cost of $15,000 or less, the commissioners court may grant general 1-9 authority to an employee to approve the change orders. However, 1-10 the original contract price may not be increased by more than 25 1-11 percent unless the change order is necessary to comply with a 1-12 federal or state statute, rule, regulation, or judicial decision 1-13 enacted, adopted, or rendered after the contract was made. The 1-14 original contract price may not be decreased by 18 percent or more 1-15 without the consent of the contractor. 1-16 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-22 passage, and it is so enacted.