By: Truan S.B. No. 1277 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to increased civil penalties for deceptive and fraudulent 1-2 practices against elderly consumers. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (c), Article 17.47, Business & 1-5 Commerce Code, is amended to read as follows: 1-6 (c) In addition to the request for a temporary restraining 1-7 order, or permanent injunction in a proceeding brought under 1-8 Subsection (a) of this section, the consumer protection division 1-9 may request a civil penalty of not more than $2,000 per violation, 1-10 not to exceed a total of $10,000, to be paid to the state; 1-11 provided, however, that if the proceeding brought under Subsection 1-12 (a) of this section pertains to an action brought by a person who 1-13 is 60 years or older, the civil penalties authorized under this 1-14 subsection may not be more than $10,000 per violation, not to 1-15 exceed a total of $100,000, to be paid to the state. 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.