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        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to certain claims against persons licensed as real estate | 
      
        |  | brokers and salespersons. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Section 17.49, Business & Commerce Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (i)  Nothing in this subchapter shall apply to a claim | 
      
        |  | against a person licensed as a broker or salesperson under Chapter | 
      
        |  | 1101, Occupations Code, arising from an act or omission by the | 
      
        |  | person while acting as a broker or salesperson.  This exemption does | 
      
        |  | not apply to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  an express misrepresentation of a material fact | 
      
        |  | that cannot be characterized as advice, judgment, or opinion; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a failure to disclose information in violation of | 
      
        |  | Section 17.46(b)(24); or | 
      
        |  | (3)  an unconscionable action or course of action that | 
      
        |  | cannot be characterized as advice, judgment, or opinion. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Subsection (i), Section 17.49, Business & | 
      
        |  | Commerce Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a claim arising | 
      
        |  | from an act or omission that occurs on or after the effective date | 
      
        |  | of this Act.  A claim arising from an act or omission that occurred | 
      
        |  | before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in | 
      
        |  | effect on the date the act or omission occurred, and the former law | 
      
        |  | is continued in effect for that purpose. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | 
      
        |  | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | 
      
        |  | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this | 
      
        |  | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | 
      
        |  | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | 
      
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        |  | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1353 passed the Senate on | 
      
        |  | April 20, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that | 
      
        |  | the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 17, 2011, by the | 
      
        |  | following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0. | 
      
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        |  | 
      
        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Secretary of the Senate | 
      
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        |  | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1353 passed the House, with | 
      
        |  | amendment, on May 13, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, | 
      
        |  | Nays 0, one present not voting. | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Chief Clerk of the House | 
      
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        |  | Approved: | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Date | 
      
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        |  | ______________________________ | 
      
        |  | Governor |