1-1     By:  Shields (Senate Sponsor - Brown)                 H.B. No. 2274

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 1997;

 1-3     April 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Jurisprudence; April 29, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 29, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the exemption of insurance benefits and certain annuity

 1-9     proceeds from seizure under process.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Article 21.22, Insurance Code, is amended by

1-12     adding Section 7 to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 7.  The exemptions and protection from seizure under

1-14     this article are in addition to the exemptions from garnishment,

1-15     attachment, execution, or other seizure under Chapter 42, Property

1-16     Code.

1-17           SECTION 2.  This Act applies to money or benefits paid or

1-18     rendered to an insured or a beneficiary under an insurance policy

1-19     or annuity contract issued by a life, health, or accident insurance

1-20     company without regard to whether the policy or contract was issued

1-21     or entered into before, on, or after the effective date of this

1-22     Act.

1-23           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-28     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-29     passage, and it is so enacted.

1-30                                  * * * * *