By: Wentworth S.B. No. 648 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the specification of venue for actions arising from 1-2 certain major transactions. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 15, Civil Practice and 1-5 Remedies Code, is amended by adding Section 15.020 to read as 1-6 follows: 1-7 Sec. 15.020. MAJOR TRANSACTIONS: SPECIFICATION OF VENUE BY 1-8 AGREEMENT. (a) In this section, "major transaction" means a 1-9 transaction evidenced by a written agreement under which a person 1-10 pays or receives, or is obligated to pay or entitled to receive, 1-11 consideration with an aggregate stated value equal to or greater 1-12 than $1 million. The term does not include a transaction entered 1-13 into primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, or to 1-14 settle a personal injury or wrongful death claim, without regard to 1-15 the aggregate value. 1-16 (b) An action arising from a major transaction shall be 1-17 brought in a county if the party against whom the action is brought 1-18 has agreed in writing that a suit arising from the transaction may 1-19 be brought in that county. 1-20 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, an 1-21 action arising from a major transaction may not be brought in a 1-22 county if: 1-23 (1) the party bringing the action has agreed in 1-24 writing that an action arising from the transaction may not be 2-1 brought in that county, and the action may be brought in another 2-2 county of this state or in another jurisdiction; or 2-3 (2) the party bringing the action has agreed in 2-4 writing that an action arising from the transaction must be brought 2-5 in another county of this state or in another jurisdiction, and the 2-6 action may be brought in that other county, under this section or 2-7 otherwise, or in that other jurisdiction. 2-8 (d) This section does not apply to an action if: 2-9 (1) the agreement described by this section was 2-10 unconscionable at the time that it was made; 2-11 (2) the agreement regarding venue is voidable under 2-12 Section 35.52, Business & Commerce Code; or 2-13 (3) venue is established under a statute of this state 2-14 other than this title. 2-15 (e) This section does not affect venue and jurisdiction in 2-16 an action arising from a transaction that is not a major 2-17 transaction. 2-18 SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a cause of action 2-19 accruing on or after the effective date of this Act, without regard 2-20 to whether an agreement relating to the venue of the action was 2-21 made before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. A cause 2-22 of action accruing before the effective date of this Act is 2-23 governed by the law in effect at the time the cause of action 2-24 accrued, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.