76R14402 JMM-D                           
         By Dutton                                             H.B. No. 1271
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1271:
         By Goodman                                        C.S.H.B. No. 1271
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the enforcement of an order for the payment of
 1-3     attorney's fees in certain proceedings.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 6, Family Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Section 6.7085 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 6.7085.  ATTORNEY'S FEES.  Notwithstanding any other
 1-8     provision of law, an award of attorney's fees in a proceeding under
 1-9     this chapter is not enforceable by contempt unless the award is:
1-10                 (1)  in an action to enforce a court order under this
1-11     title; or
1-12                 (2)  an award of interim attorney's fees in an action
1-13     under this title.
1-14           SECTION 2.  Section 106.002, Family Code, is amended by
1-15     adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
1-16           (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an award of
1-17     attorney's fees in a proceeding under this title is not enforceable
1-18     by contempt unless the award is:
1-19                 (1)  in an action to enforce a court order under this
1-20     title; or
1-21                 (2)  an award of interim attorney's fees in an action
1-22     under this title.
1-23           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-24     applies only to an award of attorney's fees made on or after that
 2-1     date.  An award of attorney's fees made before the effective date
 2-2     of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the award
 2-3     was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that
 2-4     purpose.
 2-5           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.