1-1     By:  Brown                                             S.B. No. 768

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 25, 1997; February 27, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;

 1-4     May 6, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 8,

 1-5     Nays 0; May 6, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the authority of the Texas Supreme Court to adopt rules

 1-9     relating to the contractual relationship between an attorney and

1-10     client.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Subtitle G, Title 2, Government Code, is amended

1-13     by adding Chapter 84 to read as follows:

1-14               CHAPTER 84.  RULES RELATING TO ATTORNEY'S FEES

1-15           Sec. 84.001.  CERTAIN RULES PROHIBITED.  The supreme court

1-16     may not adopt a rule that:

1-17                 (1)  interferes with an attorney's ability to contract

1-18     in the free market to provide legal services for a fee; or

1-19                 (2)  discourages competition among attorneys to provide

1-20     legal services at reasonable fees.

1-21           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-26     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-27     passage, and it is so enacted.

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