BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2006 By: Cuellar, Henry 05-03-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND People who have needed legal assistance and advice in immigration and naturalization law have often been misrepresented by unauthorized personnel seeking only to obtain an economic benefit for their services. PURPOSE If enacted, H.B. 2006 would put a stop to the unauthorized representation of immigration or naturalization law. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 38, Penal Code, by adding Section 38.124 as follows: Sec. 38.124. UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION LAW. (A) Any person other than an authorized immigration or naturalization representative commits an offense if, with intent to receive economic benefit, the person knowingly appears before a state agency in an immigration matter on behalf of another person, gives legal advice pertaining to such matter or prepares immigration forms for another. (B) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly misrepresents the services that the person is allowed to provide in immigration matters or retains a document that belongs to another who is seeking to immigrate, and the document demonstrates the person's physical presence in the United States and was issued by an agency of the United States. (C) "Authorized immigration and naturalization representative" means an attorney licensed to practice in this state, who is in good standing with the State Bar of Texas, or a person authorized by the U.S. government to provide representation. "Immigration matter" means any action, filing or other proceeding related to a person's citizenship status in the United States. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION HB 2006 was considered by the full committee in a public hearing on May 1, 1995. The following person testified in favor of the bill: Steven Laddick, representing himself. HB 2006 was reported favorably without amendment with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, and 2 absent.