By Dunnam                                       H.B. No. 2150

      75R5608 MLS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the repeal of the exemption of professional services

 1-3     from liability under the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer

 1-4     Protection Act.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Sections 17.49(c) and (d), Business & Commerce

 1-7     Code, are repealed.

 1-8           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

 1-9     applies to all actions:

1-10                 (1)  filed on or after the effective date of this Act;

1-11     or

1-12                 (2)  pending on the effective date of this Act and in

1-13     which the trial, or any new trial or retrial following motion,

1-14     appeal, or otherwise, begins on or after that date.

1-15           (b)  In an action filed before the effective date of this

1-16     Act, a trial, new trial, or retrial that is in progress on the

1-17     effective date of this Act is governed by the applicable law in

1-18     effect immediately before that date, and that law is continued in

1-19     effect for that purpose.

1-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.