S.B. No. 416

relating to the composition of the board of directors of the State Bar of Texas.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 81.020, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(b) The board is composed of:

(1) the officers of the state bar;

(2) the president, president-elect, and immediate past president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association;

(3) not more than 30 members of the state bar elected by the membership from their district as determined by the board;

(4) six persons appointed by the supreme court and confirmed by the senate who are not attorneys and who do not have, other than as consumers, a financial interest in the practice of law; and

(5) four at-large [minority member] directors appointed by the president as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (d) and (e).

(d) The president of the state bar appoints the at-large [minority member] directors, subject to confirmation by the board of directors. In making appointments under this subsection, the president shall [attempt to] appoint directors who demonstrate knowledge gained from experience in the legal profession and community necessary to ensure the board represents the interests of attorneys from the varied backgrounds that compose the membership of the state bar [members of the different minority groups listed in Section 81.002(7)].

(e) At-large [Minority member] directors serve three-year terms. To be eligible for appointment as an at-large [a minority member] director, at the time of appointment a person may [must:

[(1) be a minority member of the bar;

[(2)] not be serving as:

(1) an elected director [at the time of appointment]; or

(2) an at-large [and

[(3) not be serving as a minority member] director [at the time of appointment].

SECTION 2. Section 81.002(7), Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 81.020, Government Code, as amended by this Act, a minority member serving on the board of directors of the State Bar of Texas on the effective date of this Act continues to serve the term to which the director was appointed. On expiration of the director's term, the president of the State Bar of Texas shall appoint an at-large director as required by Section 81.020, Government Code, as amended by this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 416 passed the Senate on April 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; May 25, 2017, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 26, 2017, House granted request of the Senate; May 28, 2017, Senate adopted Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 416 passed the House, with amendments, on May 18, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 4, two present not voting; May 26, 2017, House granted request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee; May 27, 2017, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 113, Nays 32, four present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

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Governor