By Luna S.B. No. 491 76R4105 CAS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to legal services provided to school districts. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 44, Education Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 44.042 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 44.042. CONTRACTS FOR LEGAL SERVICES. (a) An attorney 1-7 representing a school district serves at the will of the school 1-8 district, notwithstanding the terms of a contract to the contrary. 1-9 A contract for legal services that purports to bind the school 1-10 district for a fixed term, or that obligates the district to pay a 1-11 retainer or other payments in excess of payments for services 1-12 actually rendered, is void. 1-13 (b) This section does not apply to an attorney who is a 1-14 salaried employee of the school district. 1-15 SECTION 2. Section 44.042, Education Code, as added by this 1-16 Act, does not apply to a contract for legal services entered into 1-17 by the board of trustees of a school district before the effective 1-18 date of this Act. 1-19 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-20 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.