By: Harris S.B. No. 1614 97S0849/1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to certain unauthorized practice of law. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 83.001, Government Code, 1-4 is amended to read as follows: 1-5 (a) A person, partnership, corporation, or other entity, 1-6 other than a person described in Subsection (b), may not charge or 1-7 receive, either directly or indirectly, any compensation for all or 1-8 any part of the preparation of a legal instrument affecting title 1-9 to real property, including a deed, deed of trust, note, mortgage, 1-10 and transfer or release of lien. As used in this section, 1-11 "compensation" includes but is not limited to interest and any 1-12 other cost, fee, or charge made in connection with a loan secured 1-13 by a lien on real property. 1-14 SECTION 2. Section 83.002, Government Code, is amended to 1-15 read as follows: 1-16 Sec. 83.002. EXPENSES. This chapter does not prevent an 1-17 attorney from paying secretarial, paralegal, or other ordinary and 1-18 reasonable expenses necessarily and actually incurred by the 1-19 attorney for the preparation of legal instruments. However, no 1-20 such payments shall be made by an attorney directly or indirectly 1-21 to a party to the transaction for which the legal documents are 1-22 prepared. 1-23 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.