1-1 By: Luna S.B. No. 491 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 11, 1999; February 15, 1999, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Education; 1-4 April 7, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 7, 1999, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 491 By: Bivins 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to legal services provided to school districts. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 44, Education Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 44.042 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 44.042. CONTRACTS FOR LEGAL SERVICES. (a) A contract 1-15 for legal services that purports to bind a school district for a 1-16 fixed term of longer than one year may be voided by the district. 1-17 (b) This section does not apply to a contract for the 1-18 provision of legal services: 1-19 (1) by a salaried employee of the district; 1-20 (2) to collect delinquent property taxes for the 1-21 district; 1-22 (3) to represent the district on a contingent fee 1-23 basis; or 1-24 (4) to represent the district in specific litigation. 1-25 SECTION 2. Section 44.042, Education Code, as added by this 1-26 Act, does not apply to a contract for legal services entered into 1-27 by the board of trustees of a school district before the effective 1-28 date of this Act. 1-29 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-30 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-31 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-32 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-33 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-34 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-35 * * * * *