By Nixon                                              H.B. No. 3077
         77R9256 MXM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to exempting sole proprietorships from the registration
 1-3     fee for engineering firms.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 13, The Texas Engineering Practice Act
 1-6     (Article 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
 1-7     adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
 1-8           (f)  A sole proprietorship is exempt from the registration
 1-9     fee assessed under Subsection (b) of this section for an
1-10     engineering firm.
1-11           SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act does not affect
1-12     liability for a fee accruing before the effective date of this Act.
1-13     That liability continues in effect as if this Act had not been
1-14     enacted, and the former law is continued in effect for the
1-15     collection of the fee due and for any enforcement of the liability
1-16     for that fee.
1-17           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-18     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-19     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-20     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-21     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.