By:  Dear                                             H.B. No. 1568
       73R5857 PB-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to an exception from certain requirements regarding
    1-3  prepaid legal services contracts.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Article 5.13-1, Insurance Code, is amended by
    1-6  adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
    1-7        (g)  A plan that does not provide a benefit other than
    1-8  consultation and advice on a simple legal matter, either alone or
    1-9  in combination with a referral service and the promise of fee
   1-10  discounts for other matters, does not constitute a prepaid legal
   1-11  services contract subject to this article.
   1-12        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
   1-13  applies only to a prepaid legal services contract entered into on
   1-14  or after that date.  A contract entered before that date is
   1-15  governed by the law in effect on the date that the contract was
   1-16  entered, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
   1-17        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.