The Local Rules of Procedure for the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, are proposed to be amended by the addition of the following rule:

Proposed Local Rule 5.1.

The Court will accept for filing documents submitted, signed or verified by electronic means that comply with the procedures established by the Court. The notice of electronic filing that is automatically generated by the Court's electronic filing system constitutes service of the document on those registered as filing users of the system.

Written comments on this proposed amendment may be addressed to the Court by
August 23, 2004, as follows:

Clerk, U.S. District Court
Attn: Local Rules, Room 5401
P.O. Box 61010
Houston, TX 77208

Dated: July 22, 2004