By: Patterson S.B. No. 342 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to changes in plans, specifications, or proposals 1-2 pertaining to contracts made by counties. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 262.031, Local Government 1-5 Code, is amended to read as follows: 1-6 (b) If a change order involves an increase or decrease in 1-7 cost of $15,000 or less, the commissioners court may grant general 1-8 authority to an employee to approve the change orders. However, 1-9 the original contract price may not be increased by more than 25 1-10 percent unless the change order is necessary to comply with a 1-11 federal or state statute, rule, regulation, or judicial decision 1-12 enacted, adopted, or rendered after the contract was made. The 1-13 original contract price may not be decreased by 18 percent or more 1-14 without the consent of the contractor. 1-15 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-21 passage, and it is so enacted.