By Van de Putte                                       S.B. No. 1365
         77R7201 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the licensing of certain persons as attorneys and the
 1-3     continuing legal education requirements for those attorneys.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 82.026 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 82.026.  EXAMINATION EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN PERSONS.
 1-8     (a)  The supreme court, by general order, may exempt from the
 1-9     examination requirement for a license to practice law any person
1-10     who:
1-11                 (1)  has completed the prescribed study in a law school
1-12     in this state accredited by the American Bar Association;
1-13                 (2)  has not previously been licensed to practice law
1-14     in this state; and
1-15                 (3)  has worked in a law office in this state for at
1-16     least 10 consecutive years.
1-17           (b)  A person exempt from examination under this section must
1-18     provide the evidence as to moral character required of candidates
1-19     to take the bar examination in this state.
1-20           SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 81, Government Code, is
1-21     amended by adding Section 81.1131 to read as follows:
1-22           Sec. 81.1131.  REQUIRED CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION FOR
1-23     CERTAIN ATTORNEYS. Except as provided by Section 81.113, the state
1-24     bar shall require an attorney licensed in this state who is exempt
 2-1     under Section 82.026 from the examination requirement for that
 2-2     license to complete the following continuing legal education
 2-3     requirements:
 2-4                 (1)  for the first reporting year, 45 hours of
 2-5     continuing legal education;
 2-6                 (2)  for the second reporting year, 40 hours of
 2-7     continuing legal education;
 2-8                 (3)  for the third reporting year, 35 hours of
 2-9     continuing legal education;
2-10                 (4)  for the fourth reporting year, 30 hours of
2-11     continuing legal education;
2-12                 (5)  for the fifth reporting year, 25 hours of
2-13     continuing legal education; and
2-14                 (6)  for each subsequent reporting year, the number of
2-15     hours of continuing legal education otherwise required of an
2-16     attorney licensed in this state.
2-17           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-18     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-19     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-20     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-21     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.