87R9187 MWC-D     By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 2817       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   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.