By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 2826
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to procurement of a contingent fee contract for legal
  services by a state agency or political subdivision.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2254.101, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivisions (2-a) and (2-b) to read as follows:
               (2-a)  "Governmental entity" means a political
  subdivision and a state governmental entity.
               (2-b)  "Political subdivision" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 2254.021.
         SECTION 2.  Section 2254.102, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  This subchapter applies only to a contingent fee
  contract for legal services entered into by a [state] governmental
  entity.
         (b)  The legislature by this subchapter is providing, in
  accordance with Sections [Section] 44 and 53, Article III, Texas
  Constitution, for the manner in which and the situations under
  which a [state] governmental entity may compensate a public
  contractor under a contingent fee contract for legal services.
         (c)  This subchapter does not apply to a contract:
               (1)  with a state agency to collect an obligation under
  Section 2107.003(b), (c), or (c-1); [or]
               (2)  for legal services entered into by an institution
  of higher education under Section 153.006, Education Code or
               (3)  entered into by a political subdivision under
  Subchapter C, Chapter 33, Texas Tax Code.
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 2254.103, Government
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 2254.103.  STATE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY: CONTRACT
  APPROVAL; SIGNATURE.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2254, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 2254.1032, 2254.1034, 2254.1036,
  2254.1037, and 2254.1038 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2254.1032.  POLITICAL SUBDIVISION: SELECTION OF
  PROVIDER. (a) A political subdivision may select an attorney or
  law firm to award a contingent fee contract only in accordance with
  Section 2254.003(a) and this section.
         (b)  In procuring legal services under a contingent fee
  contract, a political subdivision shall:
               (1)  select the most highly qualified attorney or law
  firm on the basis of demonstrated competence, qualifications, and
  experience in the requested services; and
               (2)  attempt to negotiate a contract with that attorney
  or law firm for a fair and reasonable price.
         (c)  If a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated with the
  most highly qualified attorney or law firm under Subsection (b),
  the political subdivision shall:
               (1)  formally end negotiations with that attorney or
  law firm;
               (2)  select the next most highly qualified attorney or
  law firm; and
               (3)  attempt to negotiate a contract with that attorney
  or law firm at a fair and reasonable price.
         (d)  A political subdivision described by Subsection (c)
  shall continue the process described by that subsection to select
  and negotiate with attorneys or law firms until a contract is
  entered into or the political subdivision terminates the
  procurement process.
         Sec. 2254.1034.  POLITICAL SUBDIVISION: INDEMNIFICATION.
  (a) A political subdivision may require an attorney or law firm
  selected under Section 2254.1032 to indemnify or hold harmless the
  political subdivision from claims and liabilities resulting from
  negligent acts or omissions of the attorney or law firm or persons
  employed by the attorney or law firm.
         (b)  A political subdivision may not require an attorney or
  law firm selected under Section 2254.1032 to indemnify, hold
  harmless, or, subject to Subsection (c), defend the political
  subdivision for claims or liabilities resulting from negligent acts
  or omissions of the political subdivision or its employees.
         (c)  Subsection (b) does not prevent an attorney or law firm
  selected under Section 2254.1032 from defending the political
  subdivision or its employees in accordance with a contract for the
  defense of negligent acts or omissions of the political subdivision
  or its employees.
         Sec. 2254.1036.  POLITICAL SUBDIVISION: CONTRACT NOTICE;
  APPROVAL BY GOVERNING BODY. (a) A political subdivision may enter
  into a contingent fee contract for legal services only if the
  governing body of the political subdivision:
               (1)  before or at the time of giving the written notice
  required by Section 551.041 for a meeting described by Subdivision
  (2), also provides written notice to the public stating:
                     (A)  the reasons for pursuing the matter that is
  the subject of the legal services for which the attorney or law firm
  would be retained and the desired outcome of pursuing the matter;
                     (B)  the competence, qualifications, and
  experience demonstrated by the attorney or law firm selected under
  Section 2254.1032;
                     (C)  the nature of any relationship, including the
  beginning of the relationship, between the political subdivision or
  governing body and the attorney or law firm selected under Section
  2254.1032;
                     (D)  the reasons the political subdivision is not
  able to pursue the matter using its own resources and without
  retaining an outside attorney or law firm on a contingent fee basis;
                     (E)  the reasons the legal services cannot be
  reasonably obtained from attorneys in private practice under a
  contract providing for the payment of hourly fees without
  contingency; and
                     (F)  the reasons entering into a contingent fee
  contract for legal services is in the best interest of the residents
  of the political subdivision; and
               (2)  approves the contract in an open meeting called
  for the purpose of considering:
                     (A)  the need for obtaining the legal services;
                     (B)  the terms of the contract;
                     (C)  the competence, qualifications, and
  experience of the attorney or law firm; and
                     (D)  the reasons the contract is in the best
  interest of the residents of the political subdivision.
         (b)  On approval of a contingent fee contract, the governing
  body of a political subdivision shall state in writing that the
  political subdivision finds that:
               (1)  there is a substantial need for the legal
  services;
               (2)  the legal services cannot be adequately performed
  by the attorneys and supporting personnel of the political
  subdivision;
               (3)  the legal services cannot reasonably be obtained
  from attorneys in private practice under a contract providing only
  for the payment of hourly fees, without regard to the outcome of the
  matter, because of the nature of the matter for which the services
  will be obtained or because the political subdivision does not have
  funds to pay the estimated amounts required under a contract
  providing only for the payment of hourly fees; and
               (4)  the relationship between the political
  subdivision or the governing body and the attorney or law firm being
  retained is not improper and would not appear improper to a
  reasonable person.
         Sec. 2254.1037.  POLITICAL SUBDIVISION: CONTRACT AS PUBLIC
  INFORMATION. A contingent fee contract approved under Section
  2254.1036 is public information under Chapter 552 and may not be
  withheld from a requestor under Section 552.103 or any other
  exception from required disclosure.
         Sec. 2254.1038.  POLITICAL SUBDIVISION: ATTORNEY GENERAL
  REVIEW OF CONTRACT. (a) Before a political subdivision may enter
  into a contingent fee contract for legal services, the political
  subdivision must receive attorney general approval of the contract.
  The political subdivision shall file the contract with the attorney
  general along with:
               (1)  a description of the matter to be pursued by the
  political subdivision;
               (2)  a description of the interest that the state or any
  other governmental entity may have in the matter;
               (3)  a copy of the notice required by Section
  2254.1036(a) and a statement of the method and date of the provision
  of the notice;
               (4)  a copy of the statement required by Section
  2254.1036(b); and
               (5)  any supporting documentation required by the
  attorney general.
         (b)  The attorney general may refuse to approve a contract
  under Subsection (a) if the attorney general finds that:
               (1)  the political subdivision's pursuit of the legal
  matter that is the subject of the contract interferes with the
  attorney general's statutory or constitutional obligations;
               (2)  the attorney general has the authority to pursue
  the legal matter that is the subject of the contract and that it is
  in the state's best interest for the attorney general to pursue the
  matter; or
               (3)  the political subdivision failed to comply with
  Section 2254.1036 or the findings made by the political subdivision
  under that section are not supported by the documents provided by
  the political subdivision.
         (c)  Unless the political subdivision requests expedited
  review when the political subdivision requested review under
  Subsection (a), the attorney general shall approve or deny a
  contract not later than the 90th day after the date the attorney
  general receives the request.
         SECTION 5.  Sections 2254.104(b), (c), and (d), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The contracting attorney or law firm shall permit the
  governing body or governing officer of the [state] governmental
  entity, the attorney general, and the state auditor or the
  political subdivision's auditor, as applicable, each to inspect or
  obtain copies of the time and expense records at any time on
  request.
         (c)  On conclusion of the matter for which legal services
  were obtained, the contracting attorney or law firm shall provide
  the contracting [state] governmental entity with a complete written
  statement that describes the outcome of the matter, states the
  amount of any recovery, shows the contracting attorney's or law
  firm's computation of the amount of the contingent fee, and
  contains the final complete time and expense records required by
  Subsection (a). The complete written statement required by this
  subsection is public information under Chapter 552 and may not be
  withheld from a requestor under that chapter under Section 552.103
  or any other exception from required disclosure.
         (d)  This subsection does not apply to the complete written
  statement required by Subsection (c). All time and expense records
  required under this section are public information subject to
  required public disclosure under Chapter 552. Information in the
  records may be withheld from a member of the public under Section
  552.103 only if, in addition to meeting the requirements of Section
  552.103, the chief legal officer or employee of the [state]
  governmental entity determines that withholding the information is
  necessary to protect the entity's strategy or position in pending
  or reasonably anticipated litigation. Information withheld from
  public disclosure under this subsection shall be segregated from
  information that is subject to required public disclosure.
         SECTION 6.  Section 2254.108(d), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (d)  Litigation and other expenses payable under the
  contract, including expenses attributable to attorney, paralegal,
  accountant, expert, or other professional work performed by a
  person who is not a contracting attorney or a partner, shareholder,
  or employee of a contracting attorney or law firm, may be reimbursed
  only if the [state] governmental entity and, if applicable, the
  entity's [state] auditor determine that the expenses were
  reasonable, proper, necessary, actually incurred on behalf of the
  [state] governmental entity, and paid for by the contracting
  attorney or law firm. The contingent fee may not be paid until the
  entity's [state] auditor, or the governing body of a political
  subdivision without an auditor, as applicable, has reviewed the
  relevant time and expense records and verified that the hours of
  work on which the fee computation is based were actually worked in
  performing reasonable and necessary services for the [state]
  governmental entity under the contract.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 2254.109(a) and (c), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  This subchapter does not limit the right of a [state]
  governmental entity to recover fees and expenses from opposing
  parties under other law.
         (c)  An [A state] officer, employee, or governing body of a
  governmental entity, including the attorney general, may not waive
  the requirements of this subchapter or prejudice the interests of
  the governmental entity [state] under this subchapter. This
  subchapter does not waive the state's sovereign immunity or a
  political subdivision's governmental immunity from suit or the
  state's [its] immunity from suit in federal court under the
  Eleventh Amendment to the federal constitution.
         SECTION 8.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2254, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 2254.110 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2254.110.  VOID CONTRACT. A contract entered into or an
  arrangement made in violation of this subchapter is void as against
  public policy and no fees may be paid to any person under the
  contract or under any theory of recovery for work performed in
  connection with a void contract.
         SECTION 9.  Section 403.0305, Government Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 10.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2254, Government Code, as
  amended by this Act, applies only to a contract entered into on or
  after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.