HBA-ATS, MAJ H.B. 192 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 192 By: Longoria Judicial Affairs 3/17/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To become a licensed attorney and practice in Texas, a person must have graduated from an accredited law school and have satisfactorily completed the Texas Bar Examination, among other requirements. Some law school graduates are unable to take or pass the bar exam, for a variety of reasons. H.B. 192 authorizes the Texas Supreme Court to exempt from the examination requirement any person who has completed the prescribed study in an approved law school, has not previously been licensed to practice law in this state, and has worked in a law office in this state for at least 10 consecutive years. A person exempt from examination must furnish evidence of moral character as required of candidates to take the bar examination. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code, by adding Section 82.026, as follows: Sec. 82.026. EXAMINATION EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. Authorizes the Texas Supreme Court to exempt from the examination requirement for a license to practice law any person who has completed the prescribed study in an approved law school, has not previously been licensed to practice law in this state, and has worked in a law office in this state for at least 10 consecutive years. Provides that a person exempt from examination under this section must furnish evidence of moral character as required of candidates to take the bar examination in this state. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.