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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the procedure by which the attorney general approves or |
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denies approval of a state agency contract for outside legal |
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services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 402.0212, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The attorney general shall approve or deny approval of |
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a contract for legal services described by Subsection (a) not later |
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than the 25th day after the date the contract is received by the |
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attorney general from the submitting state agency. If the attorney |
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general denies approval of the contract, the attorney general shall |
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provide the state agency that submitted the contract a written |
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explanation of the reason the attorney general denied approval of |
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the contract. |
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SECTION 2. Section 825.203(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) [The attorney general shall timely act on a request to |
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approve a contract for outside legal services under Section |
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402.0212.] If the attorney general denies the board's request for |
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approval of a contract for outside legal services, [: |
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[(1) the attorney general shall provide the board with |
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the reason for the denial; and |
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[(2)] the board may select alternative outside legal |
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counsel, subject to approval by the attorney general in accordance |
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with this section and Section 402.0212. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a contract for legal services submitted for approval to the |
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attorney general on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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contract submitted for approval to the attorney general before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |