By Munoz H.B. No. 2784 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2784: By Jones of Lubbock C.S.H.B. No. 2784 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the regulation of the practice of engineering by 1-3 certain entities. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. The Texas Engineering Practice Act (Article 1-6 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section 1-7 17A to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 17A. PRACTICE BY CERTAIN ENTITIES. (a) The Board may 1-9 not consider a firm, partnership, association, corporation, or 1-10 other business entity to be in compliance with Section 17 or 18 of 1-11 this Act unless a registered engineer is associated with the entity 1-12 as: 1-13 (1) a principal if the entity is a firm, partnership, 1-14 association, or other entity; or 1-15 (2) a chief engineering officer if the entity is a 1-16 corporation. 1-17 (b) An individual is considered to be associated with an 1-18 entity for the purposes of Subsection (a) of this section only if 1-19 the individual is entrusted with authority by the governing body of 1-20 the entity to the extent that the entity is legally liable for all 1-21 of the individual's professional acts and judgments as a registered 1-22 engineer. 1-23 (c) The Board may not adopt or enforce a rule that is 1-24 inconsistent with this section. 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.