By Holzheauser H.B. No. 2879 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the private practice of law and referral of certain 1-3 cases by criminal district attorneys. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 44, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 44.003 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 44.003. Private Practice Prohibited. A criminal 1-8 district attorney may not engage in the private practice of law and 1-9 may not collect a fee for referring a civil case to another 1-10 attorney or law firm. 1-11 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 1-12 SECTION 3. This Act applies only to collection of fees for 1-13 referrals of civil cases made on or after the effective date of 1-14 this Act. The collection of a fee for a referral made before the 1-15 effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the 1-16 time the referral was made, and that law is continued in effect for 1-17 that purpose. 1-18 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.