HB 2966
AN ACT relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Modifies legal procedures for cases involving constitutional rights by mandating that if a court dismisses a legal action, the court must award court costs and reasonable attorney's fees to the defending party. Additionally, the court may impose sanctions against the party who brought the original legal action to discourage similar future lawsuits. The changes will apply to legal actions filed on or after September 1, 2025, potentially providing stronger protections for defendants facing what might be considered frivolous constitutional rights litigation.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the exercise of certain constitutional rights. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 27.009(a), Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), if the court orders dismissal of a legal action under this chapter, the court: (1) shall award to the moving party court costs and reasonable attorney's fees for [incurred in] defending against the (2) may award to the moving party sanctions against the party who brought the legal action as the court determines sufficient to deter the party who brought the legal action from bringing similar actions described in this chapter. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an action filed on or after the effective date of this Act. An action filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Lawyers and related subject areas.
Brianna M. Menard
Robert D. Miller
Haley Cornyn
Allen E. Blakemore
Michael J. Johnson
Vera Denise Rose
Gavin L. Massingill
Matthew Bentley
Allison Billodeau
Daniel Hodge
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the
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