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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the State Bar of Texas membership dues and minimum |
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continuing legal education requirements for an attorney employed by |
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the office of the attorney general. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 81.054, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (m) and (n) to read as follows: |
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(m) A member is not required to pay a membership fee for a |
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year in which the member is employed as a full-time attorney by the |
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office of the attorney general. |
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(n) The state bar shall adopt rules governing the proration |
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of a membership fee paid by an attorney who is not employed by the |
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office of the attorney general for an entire year. |
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SECTION 2. Section 81.113(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the state bar |
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shall credit an attorney licensed in this state with meeting the |
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minimum continuing legal education requirements of the state bar |
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for a reporting year if during the reporting year the attorney is |
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employed full-time as an attorney by: |
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(1) the senate; |
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(2) the house of representatives; |
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(3) a committee, division, department, or office of |
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the senate or house; |
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(4) the Texas Legislative Council; |
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(5) the Legislative Budget Board; |
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(6) the Legislative Reference Library; |
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(7) the office of the state auditor; [or] |
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(8) the Sunset Advisory Commission; or |
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(9) the office of the attorney general. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Sections 81.054(m) and (n), Government |
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Code, as added by this Act, apply to a membership fee for membership |
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or renewal of membership in the State Bar of Texas that becomes due |
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on or after the effective date of this Act. A membership fee for |
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membership or renewal of membership that becomes due before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the membership fee becomes due, and the former law is continued |
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in effect for that purpose. |
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(b) Section 81.113(a), Government Code, as amended by this |
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Act, applies only to the requirements for a continuing legal |
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education compliance year that ends on or after September 1, 2012. |
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The requirements for continuing legal education for a compliance |
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year that ends before September 1, 2012, are covered by the law and |
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rules in effect when the compliance year ended, and that law and |
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those rules are continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2012. |