1-1 By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1369 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2001; March 13, 2001, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; 1-4 April 25, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 25, 2001, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1369 By: Wentworth 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to pro bono community service programs to provide certain 1-11 legal services and to participation in those programs for 1-12 continuing legal education credit. 1-13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-14 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 402, Government Code, is 1-15 amended by adding Section 402.010 to read as follows: 1-16 Sec. 402.010. PRO BONO COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS; 1-17 LIMITATION ON LIABILITY. (a) The attorney general may develop pro 1-18 bono community service programs to provide legal services to 1-19 facilitate proceedings involving child support. A program 1-20 developed under this section shall be administered by the attorney 1-21 general. 1-22 (b) The attorney general may adopt rules governing a program 1-23 under this section. 1-24 (c) Using funds other than state-appropriated funds, the 1-25 State Bar of Texas shall provide legal malpractice insurance 1-26 coverage for attorneys who participate as volunteers in a program 1-27 under this section for acts performed during that participation. 1-28 SECTION 2. Section 81.113, Government Code, is amended by 1-29 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as 1-30 follows: 1-31 (b) An attorney credited for continuing legal education 1-32 under Subsection (a) or (c) must meet the continuing legal 1-33 education requirements of the state bar in legal ethics or 1-34 professional responsibility. 1-35 (c) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the state bar 1-36 shall credit an attorney licensed in this state with meeting the 1-37 minimum continuing legal education requirements of the state bar 1-38 for a reporting year if, for the entire reporting year, the 1-39 attorney participates in a pro bono community service program 1-40 developed by the attorney general under Section 402.010. 1-41 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 1-42 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 1-43 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 1-44 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 1-45 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-46 (b) Subsection (c), Section 81.113, Government Code, as 1-47 added by this Act, applies to reporting years that end on or after 1-48 the effective date of this Act. The requirements for continuing 1-49 legal education for reporting years that end before the effective 1-50 date of this Act are covered by the law in effect when the 1-51 reporting years ended, and the former law is continued in effect 1-52 for that purpose. 1-53 * * * * *