Sec. 402.0212. PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES--OUTSIDE COUNSEL

(a) Except as authorized by other law, a contract for legal services between an attorney, other than a full-time employee of the agency, and a state agency in the executive department, other than an agency established by the Texas Constitution, must be approved by the attorney general to be valid. The attorney general shall provide legal services for a state agency for which the attorney general determines those legal services are appropriate and for which the attorney general denies approval for a contract for those services under this subsection.

(b) An invoice submitted to a state agency under a contract for legal services as described by Subsection (a) must be reviewed by the attorney general to determine whether the invoice is eligible for payment.

(c) An attorney or law firm must pay an administrative fee to the attorney general for the review described in Subsection (b) when entering into a contract to provide legal services to a state agency.

(d) For purposes of this section, the functions of a hearing examiner, administrative law judge, or other quasi-judicial officer are not considered legal services.

(e) This section shall not apply to the Texas Turnpike Authority division of the Texas Department of Transportation.

(f) The attorney general may adopt rules as necessary to implement and administer this section.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 4, Sec. 5.01, eff. Aug. 22, 1991. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 753, Sec. 3, eff. June 17, 1993; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 9.003, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1257 , Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.