By Dutton H.B. No. 1816 74R6724 JMM-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the enforcement of an order for the payment of 1-3 attorney's fees by contempt in certain proceedings. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Family Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Section 3.655 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 3.655. ATTORNEY'S FEES. Notwithstanding any other 1-8 provision of law, an award of attorney's fees in a proceeding under 1-9 this chapter is not enforceable by contempt. 1-10 SECTION 2. Section 11.18, Family Code, is amended by adding 1-11 Subsection (d) to read as follows: 1-12 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an award of 1-13 attorney's fees in a proceeding under this subtitle is not 1-14 enforceable by contempt. 1-15 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995, and 1-16 applies only to an award of attorney's fees made on or after that 1-17 date. An award of attorney's fees made before that date is 1-18 governed by the law in effect at the time the award was made, and 1-19 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-20 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.