Bill Text: TX SB246 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the eligibility of applicants for the state bar examination.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-30 - Referred to State Affairs [SB246 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB246-Introduced.html
85R3643 DMS-D | ||
By: Hall | S.B. No. 246 |
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relating to the eligibility of applicants for the state bar | ||
examination. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 82.024, Government Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 82.024. LAW STUDY REQUIREMENTS; ELIGIBILITY FOR | ||
EXAMINATION. (a) A person who has completed the prescribed study | ||
in an approved law school has satisfied the law study requirements | ||
for taking the examination for a license to practice law and is | ||
eligible to take the bar examination. An approved law school is one | ||
that is approved by the supreme court for the time period designated | ||
by the court as maintaining the additional standards to retain | ||
approval. | ||
(b) The supreme court may not adopt rules regarding the | ||
eligibility of an applicant for examination for a license to | ||
practice law that prohibit the applicant from taking the | ||
examination after failing a specified number of previous | ||
examinations. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 82, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 82.025 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 82.025. ATTORNEY LICENSED IN ANOTHER STATE. (a) | ||
Notwithstanding Sections 82.024, 82.0241, and 82.036, an attorney | ||
licensed to practice law in another state is eligible to take this | ||
state's bar examination if the attorney: | ||
(1) is a citizen of the United States; and | ||
(2) satisfies all other requirements to be licensed in | ||
this state. | ||
(b) An attorney eligible to take the examination under this | ||
section must comply with the procedures and deadlines prescribed by | ||
the Texas Supreme Court. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 82.027(b), Government Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(b) The application consists of a statement confirming | ||
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applicant's original declaration of intention to study law, the | ||
applicant: | ||
(1) has not been formally charged with any violation | ||
of law, excluding: | ||
(A) cases that have been dismissed for reasons | ||
other than technical defects in the charging instrument; | ||
(B) cases in which the applicant has been found | ||
not guilty; | ||
(C) minor traffic violations; | ||
(D) cases in which the record of arrest or | ||
conviction was expunged by court order; | ||
(E) pardoned offenses; and | ||
(F) Class C misdemeanors; | ||
(2) [ |
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proceeding; and | ||
(3) [ |
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bankruptcy proceedings that reasonably bear on the applicant's | ||
fitness to practice law. | ||
SECTION 4. Sections 82.024 and 82.027, Government Code, as | ||
amended by this Act, apply only to an application to take the state | ||
bar examination that is submitted to the Board of Law Examiners on | ||
or after September 1, 2017. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |