1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the payment of certain judgments.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Section 31.008, Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
 1-5     is amended by amending Subsection (g) and adding Subsection (h) to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (g)  If the judgment debtor complies with Subsections (b) and
 1-8     (c) and the judgment creditor refuses to accept payment of the
 1-9     amount under the judgment or accepts payment under the judgment and
1-10     refuses to execute a release of judgment, the court shall set the
1-11     matter for hearing on a party's motion or on the court's own motion
1-12     to determine whether or not a release should be filed.  On notice
1-13     and hearing the court may direct the judgment debtor to prepare and
1-14     file a recordable release of the judgment with the clerk of the
1-15     court if the court finds that:
1-16                 (1)  the amount under the judgment has been paid into
1-17     the registry of the court; or
1-18                 (2)  the judgment creditor has accepted payment under
1-19     the judgment and refused to execute a release of judgment.
1-20           (h)  In this section:
1-21                 (1)  "Judgment creditor" means a party in whose favor a
1-22     judgment has been rendered, whether a plaintiff, counterclaimant,
1-23     cross-claimant, third party plaintiff, or other judgment creditor.
1-24                 (2)  "Judgment debtor" means a party against whom a
 2-1     judgment is rendered.
 2-2           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
 2-3     applies only to the payment of any judgment on or after that date,
 2-4     without regard to whether the judgment was entered before, on, or
 2-5     after that date.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2557 was passed by the House on April
         27, 2001, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2557 on May 25, 2001, by a non-record
         vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2557 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 22, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
         0, 1 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  __________________________
                              Date
                    __________________________
                            Governor