By:  Brown                                             S.B. No. 637

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the finality of contested case orders rendered by state

 1-2     agencies.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 2001.144, Government

 1-5     Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (a)  A decision in a contested case is final:

 1-7                 (1)  if a motion for rehearing is not filed on time, on

 1-8     the expiration of the period for filing a motion for rehearing;

 1-9                 (2)  if a motion for rehearing is filed on time, on the

1-10     date:

1-11                       (A)  the order overruling the motion for

1-12     rehearing is rendered; or

1-13                       (B)  the motion is overruled by operation of law;

1-14     [or]

1-15                 (3)  if a state agency finds that an imminent peril to

1-16     the public health, safety, or welfare requires immediate effect of

1-17     a decision or order, on the date the decision is rendered; or

1-18                 (4)  on the date specified in the order for a case in

1-19     which all parties agree to the specified date in writing or on the

1-20     record, if the specified date is not later than the 20th day after

1-21     the date the order was rendered.

1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

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

 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

 2-5                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

 2-6           Amend S.B. 637 by inserting the words "before the date the

 2-7     order is signed or" on line 20 between the words "not" and "later".

 2-8                                                                 Hilbert