H.B. No. 2169 amends the Government Code to establish new regulations regarding contracts related to the lease, license, sale, use, or distribution of the State Bar of Texas' intellectual property. The bill specifies that the State Bar may enter into contracts to promote its objectives, but it prohibits the Bar from entering into any contract that grants exclusive rights to an entity for its intellectual property. Instead, such contracts must be made available to all interested parties under identical terms and conditions, ensuring fairness and transparency in the process.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the board of directors of the State Bar adopt purchasing guidelines consistent with existing state procedures, and it clarifies that all purchases are subject to the ultimate review of the Texas Supreme Court. The State Bar is required to maintain and make available reports on its purchases for review by the state auditor. The changes outlined in this bill will apply only to contracts entered into after the effective date of the Act, which will take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if such a vote is not achieved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 81.015, Government Code 81.0151 (Government Code 81)