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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the review by the attorney general of invoices related |
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to legal services provided to state agencies by outside counsel. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 402.0212, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections (d), (e), |
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and (f) to read as follows: |
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(b) An invoice submitted to a state agency under a contract |
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for legal services as described by Subsection (a) must be reviewed |
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by the attorney general to determine whether the invoice is |
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eligible for payment. |
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(c) An attorney or law firm must pay an administrative fee |
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to the attorney general for the review described in Subsection (b) |
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when entering into a contract to provide legal services to a state |
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agency. |
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(d) For purposes of this section, the functions of a hearing |
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examiner, administrative law judge, or other quasi-judicial |
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officer are not considered legal services. |
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(e) [(c)] This section shall not apply to the Texas Turnpike |
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Authority division of the Texas Department of Transportation. |
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(f) The attorney general may adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement and administer this section. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a contract for legal services between a state agency and a private |
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attorney or law firm entered into on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. A contract for legal services between a state agency and |
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a private attorney or law firm entered into before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the |
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contract was entered into, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |