By Thompson                                           H.B. No. 1136
         76R1775 MXM-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to fees charged for certain services performed by county
 1-3     clerks in a pending probate action.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Sections 118.056(a) and (b), Local Government
 1-6     Code, are amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  The fees for "Services in Pending Probate Action" under
 1-8     Section 118.052(2) are for services in an action in an open probate
 1-9     docket rendered after the filing of an order approving the
1-10     inventory and appraisement or after the 120th [90th] day after the
1-11     date of the initial filing of the action, whichever occurs first.
1-12           (b)  The fee for filing a document also applies to each page
1-13     or part of a page for the filing of a document or exhibit filed by
1-14     a movant after the filing of an original answer or response, after
1-15     the filing of an order approving the inventory and appraisement, or
1-16     after the 120th [90th] day after the date of the initial filing of
1-17     the action, whichever occurs first, and before the filing of an
1-18     adverse action,  contest, suit, or pleading seeking affirmative
1-19     relief.
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-21     applies only to services in a probate action that are provided on
1-22     or after that date.  Services that are provided before the
1-23     effective date of this Act are governed by the law in effect at the
1-24     time the services were provided, and the former law is continued in
 2-1     effect for that purpose.
 2-2           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.