1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the authority of the Office of Court Administration to 1-3 request, accept, and administer gifts, grants, and donations. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 72.028 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 72.028. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. (a) Except as 1-8 provided by Subsection (b), the office may request, accept, and 1-9 administer gifts, grants, and donations from any source to carry 1-10 out the purposes of this chapter. 1-11 (b) The office may not request, accept, or administer a 1-12 gift, grant, or donation from a law firm, an attorney, an employee 1-13 of a law firm or attorney, or the spouse of an attorney or of an 1-14 employee of a law firm or an attorney. 1-15 (c) In this section, "law firm" means a partnership, limited 1-16 liability partnership, or professional corporation organized for 1-17 the private practice of law. 1-18 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-19 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 791 was passed by the House on April 3, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 791 was passed by the Senate on May 8, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor