HBA-ATS, MAJ H.B. 192 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 192
By: Longoria
Judicial Affairs
3/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

To become a licensed attorney and practice in Texas, a person must have
graduated from an accredited law school and have satisfactorily completed
the Texas Bar Examination, among other requirements.  Some law school
graduates are unable to take or pass the bar exam, for a variety of
reasons.  H.B. 192 authorizes the Texas Supreme Court to exempt from the
examination requirement any person who has completed the prescribed study
in an approved law school, has not previously been licensed to practice law
in this state, and has worked in a law office in this state for at least 10
consecutive years.  A person exempt from examination must furnish evidence
of moral character as required of candidates to take the bar examination. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code, by adding
Section 82.026, as follows: 

Sec. 82.026.  EXAMINATION EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN PERSONS.  Authorizes the
Texas Supreme Court to exempt from the examination requirement for a
license to practice law any person who has completed the prescribed study
in an approved law school, has not previously been licensed to practice law
in this state, and has worked in a law office in this state for at least 10
consecutive years.  Provides that a person exempt from examination under
this section must furnish evidence of moral character as required of
candidates to take the bar examination in this state.   

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date: upon passage.