Bill Text: TX HB2817 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the requirement that attorneys employed by or contracting with the attorney general document and maintain records of hours spent on state legal actions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-31 - Left pending in committee [HB2817 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB2817-Introduced.html
| 87R9187 MWC-D | ||
| By: Turner of Tarrant | H.B. No. 2817 | |
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| relating to the requirement that attorneys employed by or | ||
| contracting with the attorney general document and maintain records | ||
| of hours spent on state legal actions. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 402.022 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 402.022. TIME RECORDS REQUIRED. (a) This section | ||
| applies to an attorney employed by or under contract with the | ||
| attorney general to provide legal services for a legal action or | ||
| proceeding. | ||
| (b) An attorney subject to this section shall: | ||
| (1) document the number of hours the attorney provides | ||
| services for an action or proceeding; and | ||
| (2) maintain a record of the hours documented under | ||
| Subdivision (1). | ||
| (c) The attorney shall permit the attorney general and the | ||
| state auditor on request to inspect or obtain copies of the record | ||
| maintained by the attorney under Subsection (b)(2). | ||
| (d) On conclusion of a legal action for which an attorney | ||
| provides legal services, the attorney shall submit to the attorney | ||
| general a written statement of the total number of hours the | ||
| attorney spent providing services for the action and a copy of the | ||
| record required under Subsection (b)(2). The statement required by | ||
| this subsection 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 provided under that chapter. | ||
| (e) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, all | ||
| records maintained under Subsection (b)(2) 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 that section, the attorney general or an employee | ||
| of the attorney general determines that withholding the information | ||
| is necessary to protect the attorney general's strategy or position | ||
| in pending or reasonably anticipated litigation. Information | ||
| withheld from public disclosure under this subsection must be | ||
| segregated from information that is subject to required public | ||
| disclosure. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 402.022, Government Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, applies only to a legal action or proceeding initiated on | ||
| or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
