By: Brown S.B. No. 673 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to garnishment of money held in an inmate trust fund. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Chapter 63, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is 1-4 amended by adding Section 63.006 to read as follows: 1-5 Sec. 63.006. GARNISHMENT OF FUNDS HELD IN INMATE TRUST FUND. 1-6 (a) A writ of garnishment may be issued against an inmate trust 1-7 fund held under the authority of the Texas Department of Criminal 1-8 Justice under Section 501.014, Government Code, to encumber money 1-9 that is held for the benefit of an inmate in the fund. 1-10 (b) The state's sovereign immunity to suit is waived only to 1-11 the extent necessary to authorize a garnishment action in 1-12 accordance with this section. 1-13 SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a writ of garnishment 1-14 issued against an inmate trust fund on or after the effective date 1-15 of this Act. A writ of garnishment issued against an inmate trust 1-16 fund before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law 1-17 as it existed before the effective date of this Act, and that law 1-18 is continued in effect for this purpose. 1-19 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-20 SECTION 4. 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 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.