2003 Bills Enacted Into Law

Please note that bills don't appear on this page until they have passed both houses and been signed by the Governor. See "2003 Pending/Adopted Legislation By Bill Number" for information about bills that have not yet progressed this far.

Bill No	Description	Effective Date	Links
HB 4	Possible venue problem for personal injury, death and property damage cases -- This bill amends Section 607 (but not Section 608) to say that the Civil Practices and Remedies Code venue provisions apply to personal injury, death and property damage cases. It is not clear what affect this will have.	September 1, 2003	Bill text

Bill No	Description	Effective Date	Links
HB 4	Possible venue problem for personal injury, death and property damage cases -- This bill amends Section 5A and 5B to say that the Civil Practices and Remedies Code venue provisions apply to personal injury, death and property damage cases. It is not clear what affect this will have.	September 1, 2003	Bill text

Bill No	Description	Effective Date	Links
SB 1588	Creditor exemption for College Savings Plans -- This bill adds Section 42.0022 to the Texas Property Code to make clear that Texans' investments in qualified college savings plans are exempt from creditors, even if the plans are sponsored by another state.	September 1, 2003	Bill text
HB 1156	Business Organizations Code adopted, but not for a while -- This bill recodifies the statutes governing corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, professional corporations, etc., into a new "Business Organizations Code." The Legislature made this bill effective January 1, 2006, and part or all of it (I can't tell) sunsets in 2010, so persons interested in this bill will have time to read it and seek changes in the 2005 session before it becomes effective.	January 1, 2006	Bill text
SB 151	Foreign adoption orders -- This bill adds Section 162.023 to the Family Code to provide that adoption orders in foreign countries are to be accorded full faith and credit "unless the adoption law or process of the foreign country violates the fundamental principles of human rights or the laws or public policy of this state."	September 1, 2003	Bill text
HB 2292	Medicaid estate recovery -- This bill directs the appropriate agency to implement an estate recovery program to comply with federal law. This means that the homes of Medicaid nursing home patients may be seized to pay back Medicaid after their deaths.	September 1, 2003	Bill text