By Seidlits                                           H.B. No. 2987
       74R7946 RJA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the authority of the supreme court to adopt rules
    1-3  relating to the contractual relationship between an attorney and
    1-4  client.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Subtitle G, Title 2, Government Code, is amended
    1-7  by adding Chapter 84 to read as follows:
    1-8            CHAPTER 84.  RULES RELATING TO ATTORNEY'S FEES
    1-9        Sec. 84.001.  CERTAIN RULES PROHIBITED.  The supreme court
   1-10  may not adopt a rule that:
   1-11              (1)  interferes with an attorney's ability to contract
   1-12  in the free market to provide legal services for a fee; or
   1-13              (2)  discourages competition among attorneys to provide
   1-14  legal services at reasonable fees.
   1-15        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-16  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-17  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-18  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-19  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-20  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-21  passage, and it is so enacted.