BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4737

By: Bhojani

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the Board of Law Examiners, Texas allows licensed attorneys from other states to apply to the Texas Bar without taking the Texas Bar Exam. To be admitted to the Texas Bar without examination, applicants must pay a fee, submit an application, and meet certain eligibility requirements, including presenting good moral character and fitness. The bill author has informed the committee that according to the Board of Law Examiners, such an application generally takes six to nine months to process and current law does not set a specific processing time for these applications. H.B. 4737 seeks to require the Board of Law Examiners to process applications for admission to practice law without examination for attorneys licensed in other states within 100 days of submission.

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.

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.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4737 amends the Government Code to require the Board of Law Examiners (BLE) to process an application for admission to practice law in Texas without examination for an attorney licensed to practice law in another state not later than the 100th day after the date the attorney files the application with the BLE.

H.B. 4737 applies only to an application for admission to practice law in Texas without examination filed with the BLE on or after the bill's effective date. An application for admission to practice law in Texas without examination filed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect the date the application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.