By Gallego                                              H.B. No. 80
         76R236 DB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to unclaimed property held by attorneys.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 82, Government Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 82.0631 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 82.0631.  UNCLAIMED PROPERTY HELD BY ATTORNEY.  (a)
 1-7     This  section applies to property held by an attorney on behalf of
 1-8     a client that  is presumed abandoned under Chapter 72, Property
 1-9     Code, and delivered to the comptroller under Chapter 74, Property
1-10     Code.
1-11           (b)  The comptroller shall deposit the proceeds of property
1-12     described by Subsection (a)  to the credit of the basic civil legal
1-13     services account of the judicial fund.
1-14           (c)  Proceeds deposited under this section to the credit of
1-15     the basic civil legal services account are subject to the same
1-16     restrictions on use as other funds deposited in that account.
1-17           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-18     applies only to property described by Section 82.0631, Government
1-19     Code, as added by this Act, delivered to the comptroller on or
1-20     after that date.
1-21           SECTION 3.  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
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.