By Edwards H.B. No. 2934 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to garnishment of wages for the collection of certain 1-3 civil judgments. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 2, Labor Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Chapter 65 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 65. GARNISHMENT OF WAGES 1-8 Sec. 65.001. GARNISHMENT LIMITED. Wages may be garnished in 1-9 this state only for a purpose authorized under Section 28, Article 1-10 XVI, Texas Constitution. 1-11 Sec. 65.002. GARNISHMENT FOR COLLECTION OF CIVIL JUDGMENT. 1-12 If a person prevails in a civil action brought by the person 1-13 against another and receives a judgment, and the judgment debtor 1-14 does not pay in full the amount of the judgment entered by the 1-15 court not later than the 60th day after the date of the judgment, 1-16 the prevailing party may file a motion for an involuntary 1-17 assignment of the judgment debtor's earnings. The court retains 1-18 jurisdiction for purposes of the motion. 1-19 (b) The court may order an involuntary assignment of the 1-20 judgment debtor's earnings on proper motion, notice to all parties, 1-21 and a hearing. The assignment shall continue in effect until the 1-22 amount of the judgment is paid in full. 1-23 SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this 2-1 section, this Act takes effect September 1, 1995, and applies only 2-2 to recovery of a judgment awarded in a civil action on or after 2-3 that date. Recovery of a judgment awarded before that date is 2-4 governed by the law in effect on the date that the judgment was 2-5 awarded, and the former law is continued in effect for that 2-6 purpose. 2-7 (b) Section 65.002, Labor Code, as added by this Act, takes 2-8 effect, contingent on adoption by the voters of the constitutional 2-9 amendment proposed by ___J.R. No.___, 74th Legislature, Regular 2-10 Session, 1995, on the date that the amendment takes effect. If 2-11 that amendment is not approved by the voters, Section 65.002, Labor 2-12 Code, does not take effect. 2-13 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.