By:  Seidlits                                         H.B. No. 2030
       73R1756 JSA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the representation of the Texas Legislature before the
    1-3  courts of Texas or the United States.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by
    1-6  adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
    1-7          SUBCHAPTER E.  LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF LEGISLATURE
    1-8        Sec. 301.061.  LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF LEGISLATURE.  (a)
    1-9  Subject to the requirements of Subsection (b) and to the exception
   1-10  provided by Subsection (c), the legislature may employ counsel, or
   1-11  authorize the counsel of a legislative agency, to file suits on
   1-12  behalf of the legislature, to intervene in pending litigation on
   1-13  behalf of the legislature, or to otherwise represent the
   1-14  legislature in the courts of this state or in the courts of the
   1-15  United States.
   1-16        (b)  Representation of the legislature under this section is
   1-17  authorized only if:
   1-18              (1)  the speaker and the president of the senate
   1-19  approve the representation in writing; or
   1-20              (2)  both houses by concurrent resolution approve the
   1-21  representation.
   1-22        (c)  Subsection (a) does not apply to the representation of
   1-23  the interests of the legislature before the Supreme Court of Texas
   1-24  in violation of Article IV, Section 22, of the Texas Constitution.
    2-1        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-2  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-3  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-4  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-5  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-6  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-7  passage, and it is so enacted.