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.