By Van de Putte S.B. No. 1369 77R695 AEI-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to pro bono community service programs to provide legal 1-3 services to the public 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 the 1-11 public. A program developed under this section shall be 1-12 administered by the attorney general. 1-13 (b) The attorney general may adopt rules governing a program 1-14 under this section. 1-15 (c) An attorney who in good faith participates as a 1-16 volunteer in a program under this section is not liable for damages 1-17 in a civil action for an act performed during that participation 1-18 unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent. 1-19 SECTION 2. Section 81.113, Government Code, is amended by 1-20 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as 1-21 follows: 1-22 (b) An attorney credited for continuing legal education 1-23 under Subsection (a) or (c) must meet the continuing legal 1-24 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. 2-9 (b) Section 81.113(c), Government Code, as added by Section 2-10 2 of this Act, applies to reporting years that end on or after the 2-11 effective date of this Act. The requirements for continuing legal 2-12 education for reporting years that end before the effective date of 2-13 this Act are covered by the law in effect when the reporting years 2-14 ended, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.