Amend SB 731, on third reading, by striking all below the
enacting clause and substituting the following:
      SECTION 1. Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 139 to read as follows:
          CHAPTER 139. PERSONAL INJURY TO CERTAIN PERSONS
                 SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
      Sec. 139.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
            (1)  "Claimant" means a person described by Section
139.002 (1) or (2) who makes a claim to which this chapter applies.
            (2)  "Incapacitated person" has the meaning assigned by
Section 601, Texas Probate Code.
      Sec. 139.002. SCOPE OF CHAPTER. This chapter applies only to
a suit on a claim for damages arising from personal injury:
            (1)  to an incapacitated person; or
            (2)  in which the personal injury has resulted in the
substantial disablement of the injured person.
         Sections 139.003-139.100 reserved for expansion
             SUBCHAPTER B. STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT OFFER
      Sec. 139.101. WRITTEN OFFER REQUIRED. An offer of structured
settlement made after a suit to which this chapter applies has been
filed must be:
            (1)  made in writing; and
            (2)  presented to the attorney for the claimant.
      Sec. 139.102. PRESENTATION TO CLAIMANT. (a) As soon as
practicable after receiving the offer under Section 139.101, but
not later than any expiration date that may accompany the quotation
that outlines the terms of the structured settlement offered, the
attorney receiving the offer shall present the offer to the
claimant or the claimant's personal representative.
      (b)  To the extent reasonably necessary to permit the
claimant or the claimant's personal representative to make an
informed decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of a
proposed structured settlement, the attorney shall advise the
claimant or the claimant's personal representative with respect to:
            (1)  the terms, conditions, and other attributes of the
proposed structured settlement; and
            (2)  the appropriateness of the structured settlement
under the circumstances.
      SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
applies only to a suit filed on or after the effective date of this
Act. A suit filed before the effective date of this Act is governed
by the law as it existed immediately before that date and that law
is continued in effect for this purpose.
      SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the crowded
condition of the calendars in both houses create an emergency and
an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule
requiring bills to be read on three several days in each house be
suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.