BILL ANALYSIS |
S.B. 949 |
By: Kolkhorst |
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence |
Committee Report (Unamended) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Interested parties suggest that the state's potential liability for attorney's fees in certain cases heard by a special three-judge district court is too high. S.B. 949 seeks to impose a cap on the attorney's fees awarded in such a case.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
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RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
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ANALYSIS
S.B. 949 amends the Government Code to prohibit a special three-judge district court from awarding attorney's fees in an amount that exceeds $250,000 in a case assigned to the court due to the state, a state officer, or a state agency being a defendant in certain claims relating to the state's public school system or the apportionment of certain districts and in any related case consolidated with the case before the court.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.
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