S.B. No. 300
 
AN ACT
relating to the duration of judgment liens in favor of the state.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 52.006, Property Code, is amended to
read as follows:
       Sec. 52.006.  DURATION OF LIEN. (a)  Except as provided by
Subsection (b), a [A] judgment lien continues for 10 years
following the date of recording and indexing the abstract, except
that if the judgment becomes dormant during that period the lien
ceases to exist.
       (b)  Notwithstanding Section 34.001, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code, a judgment in favor of the state or a state agency,
as that term is defined by Section 403.055, Government Code, does
not become dormant.  A properly filed abstract of the judgment
continues to constitute a lien under Section 52.001 until the
earlier of the 20th anniversary of the date the abstract is recorded
and indexed or the date the judgment is satisfied or the lien is
released.  The judgment lien may be renewed for one additional
20-year period by filing, before the expiration of the initial
20-year period, a renewed abstract of judgment in the same manner as
the original abstract of judgment is filed. The renewed judgment
lien relates back to the date the original abstract of judgment was
filed.
       SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies to:
             (1)  a judgment, if the judgment is not then dormant,
that exists on the effective date of this Act;
             (2)  a judgment lien on record before the effective
date of this Act; or
             (3)  a judgment entered or abstract of judgment
recorded and indexed on or after the effective date of this Act.
       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, 2007.
____________________________________________________________
President of the Senate             Speaker of the House
       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 300 passed the Senate on
March 28, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
______________________________ 
   Secretary of the Senate
       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 300 passed the House on
April 4, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 134, Nays 2, one
present not voting.
______________________________ 
   Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________ 
______________________________ 
            Date
______________________________ 
______________________________ 
          Governor