By Thompson H.B. No. 2261 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to providing the court with certain information regarding 1-3 a party in a civil action. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 30, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 30.015 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 30.015. PROVISION OF CURRENT ADDRESS OF PARTY IN CIVIL 1-8 ACTION. (a) In a civil action, each party or the party's attorney 1-9 must provide the clerk of the court with written notice of the 1-10 party's name and current residence or business address. 1-11 (b) The notice required by Subsection (a) may not be 1-12 required from any party or party's attorney if such party has not 1-13 appeared or answered in the civil action. 1-14 (c) The notice required by Subsection (a) must be provided 1-15 at the time the party files its initial pleading with the court or 1-16 not later than the seventh day after the date the clerk of the 1-17 court requests the information. 1-18 (d) If the party's address changes during the course of a 1-19 civil action, the party or the party's attorney must provide the 1-20 clerk of the court with written notice of the party's new address. 1-21 (e) If the party or the party's attorney fails to provide 1-22 the notice required by Subsection (a), the trial court may assess 1-23 an additional cost of not more than $50. 1-24 (f) It is a defense to a fine assessed under this section 2-1 that the party or the party's attorney could not reasonably obtain 2-2 and provide the information required by Subsection (a). 2-3 (g) Information provided to a clerk of a court under this 2-4 section is confidential and may not be disclosed to the public 2-5 without the express authorization of the court. 2-6 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 2-7 applies only to suits filed on or after the effective date of this 2-8 Act. 2-9 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.