By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1369 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to pro bono community service programs to provide certain 1-3 legal services and to participation in those programs for 1-4 continuing legal education credit. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 402, Government Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 402.010 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 402.010. PRO BONO COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS; 1-9 LIMITATION ON LIABILITY. (a) The attorney general may develop pro 1-10 bono community service programs to provide legal services to 1-11 facilitate proceedings involving child support. A program 1-12 developed under this section shall be administered by the attorney 1-13 general. 1-14 (b) The attorney general may adopt rules governing a program 1-15 under this section. 1-16 (c) Using funds other than state-appropriated funds, the 1-17 State Bar of Texas shall provide legal malpractice insurance 1-18 coverage for attorneys who participate as volunteers in a program 1-19 under this section for acts performed during that participation. 1-20 SECTION 2. Section 81.113, Government Code, is amended by 1-21 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as 1-22 follows: 1-23 (b) An attorney credited for continuing legal education 1-24 under Subsection (a) or (c) must meet the continuing legal 1-25 education requirements of the state bar in legal ethics or 2-1 professional responsibility. 2-2 (c) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the state bar 2-3 shall credit an attorney licensed in this state with meeting the 2-4 minimum continuing legal education requirements of the state bar 2-5 for a reporting year if, for the entire reporting year, the 2-6 attorney participates in a pro bono community service program 2-7 developed by the attorney general under Section 402.010. 2-8 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 2-9 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 2-10 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 2-11 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 2-12 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-13 (b) Subsection (c), Section 81.113, Government Code, as 2-14 added by this Act, applies to reporting years that end on or after 2-15 the effective date of this Act. The requirements for continuing 2-16 legal education for reporting years that end before the effective 2-17 date of this Act are covered by the law in effect when the 2-18 reporting years ended, and the former law is continued in effect 2-19 for that purpose.