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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to legal representation for certain emergency services |
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districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 775, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 775.0315 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 775.0315. LEGAL REPRESENTATION. (a) This section |
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applies only to a district located wholly in a county with a |
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population of 1.8 million or more in which two or more cities with a |
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population of 350,000 or more are located. |
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(b) A district may employ or contract with private legal |
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counsel to represent the district on any legal matter. If the |
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district does not employ or contract with private legal counsel on a |
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legal matter, the county attorney, district attorney, or criminal |
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district attorney, as appropriate, with the duty to represent the |
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county in civil matters shall represent the district. |
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(c) A district that receives legal services from a county |
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attorney, district attorney, or criminal district attorney may |
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employ additional private legal counsel on the board's |
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determination that additional counsel is advisable. A district |
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that contracts or employs private legal counsel under Subsection |
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(b) may request and receive additional legal services from the |
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county attorney, district attorney, or criminal district attorney, |
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as appropriate, with the duty to represent the county in civil |
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matters on the board's determination that additional counsel is |
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necessary. |
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(d) If the district receives legal services from a county |
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attorney, district attorney, or criminal district attorney, the |
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district shall contribute money to be credited to the county's |
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general fund account for the county attorney, district attorney, or |
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criminal district attorney, as appropriate, in amounts sufficient |
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to pay all additional salaries and expenses incurred by that |
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officer in performing the duties required by the district. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2015. |