Bill > HB5104

This bill makes significant changes to the State Bar of Texas, fundamentally altering its membership structure and governance. The key provisions include making State Bar membership voluntary instead of mandatory for attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas, while ensuring that all licensed attorneys remain subject to professional conduct rules and disciplinary procedures. The bill requires membership fees and other State Bar fees to be approved by a two-thirds vote of attorneys who would be required to pay the fee, and limits the State Bar's ability to use funds for lobbying or influencing judicial processes. The bill also modifies various provisions related to attorney licensing, disciplinary procedures, and professional conduct, expanding the definition of affected parties from just State Bar members to all attorneys licensed in Texas. Non-members of the State Bar will be prohibited from holding State Bar offices or voting in State Bar elections. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions such as a system for imposing monetary sanctions against frivolous grievance filers and clarifies language around attorney license revocation procedures. The changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with membership fee provisions specifically applying from June 1, 2026 onward.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB5104