By: Giddings H.B. No. 2544
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the payment of attorneys' fee liens in certain workers' 
  compensation benefit matters.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 408.203, Labor Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a), part (1) to read as follows:
               (1)  an attorney's fee for representing an employee or
  legal beneficiary in a matter arising under this subtitle;, payment
  of which shall be made in equal shares to each attorney with an
  outstanding lien;
         SECTION 2.  Section 408.221, Labor Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (i) to read as follows:
         (i)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) or Section
  408.147(c), anall attorney's fee may not exceed 25 percent of the
  claimant's recovery.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009, and
  applies only to legal fees for a claim for workers' compensation
  benefits based on a compensable injury that occurs on or after that
  date. Legal fees for a claim based on a compensable injury that
  occurs before that date are governed by the law in effect on the
  date that the compensable injury occurred, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.