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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to suits affecting the parent-child relationship. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 107.011(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, in a |
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suit filed by a governmental entity seeking termination of the |
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parent-child relationship or the appointment of a conservator for a |
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child, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the |
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best interests of the child immediately after the filing of the |
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petition but before an [the full] adversary hearing conducted under |
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Subchapter C, Chapter 262. |
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SECTION 2. Section 107.012, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 107.012. MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEY AD LITEM |
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FOR CHILD. In a suit filed by a governmental entity requesting |
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termination of the parent-child relationship or to be named |
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conservator of a child, the court shall appoint an attorney ad litem |
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to represent the interests of the child immediately after the |
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filing, but before an [the full] adversary hearing conducted under |
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Subchapter C, Chapter 262, to ensure adequate representation of the |
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child. |
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SECTION 3. Section 161.001, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 161.001. INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION OF PARENT-CHILD |
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RELATIONSHIP. The court may order termination of the parent-child |
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relationship if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence: |
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(1) that the parent has: |
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(A) voluntarily left the child alone or in the |
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possession of another not the parent and expressed an intent not to |
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return; |
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(B) voluntarily left the child alone or in the |
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possession of another not the parent without expressing an intent |
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to return, without providing for the adequate support of the child, |
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and remained away for a period of at least three months; |
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(C) voluntarily left the child alone or in the |
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possession of another without providing adequate support of the |
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child and remained away for a period of at least six months; |
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(D) knowingly placed or knowingly allowed the |
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child to remain in conditions or surroundings which endanger the |
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physical or emotional well-being of the child; |
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(E) engaged in conduct or knowingly placed the |
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child with persons who engaged in conduct which endangers the |
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physical or emotional well-being of the child; |
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(F) failed to support the child in accordance |
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with the parent's ability during a period of one year ending within |
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six months of the date of the filing of the petition; |
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(G) abandoned the child without identifying the |
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child or furnishing means of identification, and the child's |
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identity cannot be ascertained by the exercise of reasonable |
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diligence; |
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(H) voluntarily, and with knowledge of the |
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pregnancy, abandoned the mother of the child beginning at a time |
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during her pregnancy with the child and continuing through the |
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birth, failed to provide adequate support or medical care for the |
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mother during the period of abandonment before the birth of the |
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child, and remained apart from the child or failed to support the |
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child since the birth; |
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(I) contumaciously refused to submit to a |
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reasonable and lawful order of a court under Subchapter D, Chapter |
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261; |
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(J) been the major cause of: |
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(i) the failure of the child to be enrolled |
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in school as required by the Education Code; or |
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(ii) the child's absence from the child's |
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home without the consent of the parents or guardian for a |
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substantial length of time or without the intent to return; |
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(K) executed before or after the suit is filed an |
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unrevoked or irrevocable affidavit of relinquishment of parental |
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rights as provided by this chapter; |
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(L) been convicted or has been placed on |
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community supervision, including deferred adjudication community |
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supervision, for being criminally responsible for the death or |
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serious injury of a child under the following sections of the Penal |
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Code, or under a law of another state, federal law, the law of a |
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foreign country, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice that |
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contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of |
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an offense under one of the following Penal Code sections, or |
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adjudicated under Title 3 for conduct that caused the death or |
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serious injury of a child and that would constitute a violation of |
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one of the following Penal Code sections: |
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(i) Section 19.02 (murder); |
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(ii) Section 19.03 (capital murder); |
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(iii) Section 19.04 (manslaughter); |
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(iv) Section 21.11 (indecency with a |
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child); |
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(v) Section 22.01 (assault); |
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(vi) Section 22.011 (sexual assault); |
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(vii) Section 22.02 (aggravated assault); |
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(viii) Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual |
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assault); |
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(ix) Section 22.04 (injury to a child, |
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elderly individual, or disabled individual); |
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(x) Section 22.041 (abandoning or |
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endangering child); |
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(xi) Section 25.02 (prohibited sexual |
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conduct); |
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(xii) Section 43.25 (sexual performance by |
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a child); |
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(xiii) Section 43.26 (possession or |
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promotion of child pornography); |
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(xiv) Section 21.02 (continuous sexual |
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abuse of young child or children); |
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(xv) Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8) |
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(trafficking of persons); and |
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(xvi) Section 43.05(a)(2) (compelling |
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prostitution); |
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(M) had his or her parent-child relationship |
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terminated with respect to another child based on a finding that the |
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parent's conduct was in violation of Paragraph (D) or (E) or |
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substantially equivalent provisions of the law of another state; |
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(N) constructively abandoned the child who has |
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been in the permanent or temporary managing conservatorship of the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services or an authorized |
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agency for not less than six months, and: |
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(i) the department or authorized agency has |
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made reasonable efforts to return the child to the parent; |
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(ii) the parent has not regularly visited |
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or maintained significant contact with the child; and |
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(iii) the parent has demonstrated an |
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inability to provide the child with a safe environment; |
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(O) failed to comply with the provisions of a |
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court order that specifically established the actions necessary for |
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the parent to obtain the return of the child who has been in the |
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permanent or temporary managing conservatorship of the Department |
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of Family and Protective Services for not less than nine months as a |
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result of the child's removal from the parent under Chapter 262 for |
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the abuse or neglect of the child; |
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(P) used a controlled substance, as defined by |
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Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, in a manner that endangered the |
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health or safety of the child, and: |
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(i) failed to complete a court-ordered |
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substance abuse treatment program; or |
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(ii) after completion of a court-ordered |
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substance abuse treatment program, continued to abuse a controlled |
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substance; |
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(Q) knowingly engaged in criminal conduct that |
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has resulted in the parent's: |
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(i) conviction of an offense; and |
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(ii) confinement or imprisonment and |
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inability to care for the child for not less than two years from the |
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date of filing the petition; |
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(R) been the cause of the child being born |
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addicted to alcohol or a controlled substance, other than a |
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controlled substance legally obtained by prescription, as defined |
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by Section 261.001; |
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(S) voluntarily delivered the child to a |
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designated emergency infant care provider under Section 262.302 |
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without expressing an intent to return for the child; or |
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(T) been convicted of: |
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(i) the murder of the other parent of the |
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child under Section 19.02 or 19.03, Penal Code, or under a law of |
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another state, federal law, the law of a foreign country, or the |
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Uniform Code of Military Justice that contains elements that are |
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substantially similar to the elements of an offense under Section |
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19.02 or 19.03, Penal Code; |
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(ii) criminal attempt under Section 15.01, |
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Penal Code, or under a law of another state, federal law, the law of |
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a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice that |
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contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of |
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an offense under Section 15.01, Penal Code, to commit the offense |
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described by Subparagraph (i); or |
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(iii) criminal solicitation under Section |
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15.03, Penal Code, or under a law of another state, federal law, the |
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law of a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice |
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that contains elements that are substantially similar to the |
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elements of an offense under Section 15.03, Penal Code, of the |
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offense described by Subparagraph (i); and |
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(2) that termination is in the best interest of the |
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child. |
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SECTION 4. Section 201.2041(b), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) For purposes of Sections 263.401 and 263.403, a suit is |
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not required to be dismissed if the associate judge commences the |
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trial on the merits before the applicable deadline for dismissal |
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regardless [Regardless] of whether a de novo hearing is requested |
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before the referring court after the trial before the associate |
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judge concludes[, a proposed order or judgment rendered by an
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associate judge that meets the requirements of Section 263.401(d)
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is considered a final order for purposes of Section 263.401]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 262.1095(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) When the Department of Family and Protective Services or |
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another agency takes possession of a child under this chapter, the |
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department: |
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(1) shall provide information as prescribed by this |
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section to each adult the department is able to identify and locate |
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who: |
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(A) is related to the child within the third |
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degree by consanguinity as determined under Chapter 573, Government |
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Code, or is an adult relative of the alleged father of the child who |
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the department determines is most likely to be the child's |
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biological father; or [and] |
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(B) is identified as a potential relative or |
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designated caregiver, as defined by Section 264.751, on the |
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proposed child placement resources form provided under Section |
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261.307; and |
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(2) may provide information as prescribed by this |
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section to each adult the department is able to identify and locate |
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who has a long-standing and significant relationship with the |
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child. |
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SECTION 6. Section 262.2015(b), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The court may find under Subsection (a) that a parent |
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has subjected the child to aggravated circumstances if: |
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(1) the parent abandoned the child without |
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identification or a means for identifying the child; |
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(2) the child or another child of the parent is a |
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victim of serious bodily injury or sexual abuse inflicted by the |
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parent or by another person with the parent's consent; |
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(3) the parent has engaged in conduct against the |
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child that would constitute an offense under the following |
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provisions of the Penal Code: |
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(A) Section 19.02 (murder); |
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(B) Section 19.03 (capital murder); |
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(C) Section 19.04 (manslaughter); |
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(D) Section 21.11 (indecency with a child); |
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(E) Section 22.011 (sexual assault); |
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(F) Section 22.02 (aggravated assault); |
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(G) Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault); |
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(H) Section 22.04 (injury to a child, elderly |
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individual, or disabled individual); |
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(I) Section 22.041 (abandoning or endangering |
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child); |
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(J) Section 25.02 (prohibited sexual conduct); |
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(K) Section 43.25 (sexual performance by a |
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child); |
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(L) Section 43.26 (possession or promotion of |
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child pornography); |
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(M) Section 21.02 (continuous sexual abuse of |
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young child or children); |
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(N) Section 43.05(a)(2) (compelling |
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prostitution); or |
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(O) Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8) (trafficking of |
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persons); |
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(4) the parent voluntarily left the child alone or in |
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the possession of another person not the parent of the child for at |
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least six months without expressing an intent to return and without |
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providing adequate support for the child; |
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(5) the parent's parental rights with regard to |
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another child have been involuntarily terminated based on a finding |
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that the parent's conduct violated Section 161.001(1)(D) or (E) or |
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a substantially equivalent provision of another state's law; |
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(6) the parent has been convicted for: |
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(A) the murder of another child of the parent and |
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the offense would have been an offense under 18 U.S.C. Section |
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1111(a) if the offense had occurred in the special maritime or |
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territorial jurisdiction of the United States; |
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(B) the voluntary manslaughter of another child |
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of the parent and the offense would have been an offense under 18 |
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U.S.C. Section 1112(a) if the offense had occurred in the special |
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maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States; |
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(C) aiding or abetting, attempting, conspiring, |
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or soliciting an offense under Subdivision (A) or (B); or |
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(D) the felony assault of the child or another |
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child of the parent that resulted in serious bodily injury to the |
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child or another child of the parent; [or] |
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(7) the parent's parental rights with regard to two |
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other children have been involuntarily terminated; or |
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(8) the parent is required under any state or federal |
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law to register with a sex offender registry. |
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SECTION 7. Section 263.401, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b-1) If, after commencement of the initial trial on the |
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merits within the time required by Subsection (a) or (b), the court |
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grants a motion for a new trial or mistrial, or the case is remanded |
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to the court by an appellate court following an appeal of the |
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court's final order, the court may retain the suit on the court's |
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docket. If the court retains the suit on the court's docket, the |
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court shall render an order in which the court: |
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(1) schedules a new date on which the suit will be |
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dismissed if the new trial has not commenced, which must be a date |
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not later than the 180th day after the date: |
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(A) the motion for new trial or mistrial is |
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granted; or |
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(B) the appellate court remanded the case; |
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(2) makes further temporary orders for the safety and |
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welfare of the child as necessary to avoid further delay in |
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resolving the suit; and |
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(3) sets the new trial on the merits for a date not |
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later than the date specified under Subdivision (1). |
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(c) If the court grants an extension under Subsection (b) or |
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(b-1) but does not commence the trial on the merits before the new |
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dismissal [required] date [for dismissal under Subsection (b)], the |
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court shall dismiss the suit. The court may not grant an |
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additional extension that extends the suit beyond the required date |
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for dismissal under Subsection (b) or (b-1). |
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SECTION 8. Section 263.403, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) If, after commencement of the initial trial on the |
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merits within the time required by Subsection (b) or (c), the court |
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grants a motion for a new trial or mistrial, or the case is remanded |
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to the court by an appellate court following an appeal of the |
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court's final order, the court may retain the suit on the court's |
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docket. If the court retains the suit on the court's docket, the |
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court shall render an order in which the court: |
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(1) schedules a new date on which the suit will be |
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dismissed if the new trial has not commenced, which must be a date |
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not later than the 180th day after the date: |
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(A) the motion for new trial or mistrial is |
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granted; or |
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(B) the appellate court remanded the case; |
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(2) makes further temporary orders for the safety and |
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welfare of the child as necessary to avoid further delay in |
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resolving the suit; and |
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(3) sets the new trial on the merits for a date not |
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later than the date specified under Subdivision (1). |
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(c-2) If the court grants an extension under Subsection (b), |
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(c), or (c-1) but does not commence the trial on the merits before |
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the new dismissal date, the court shall dismiss the suit. The court |
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may not grant an additional extension that extends the suit beyond |
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the required date for dismissal under Subsection (b), (c), or |
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(c-1). |
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SECTION 9. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this |
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section, the changes in law made by this Act apply to a suit |
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affecting the parent-child relationship filed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the parent-child |
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relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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201.2041, 263.401, and 263.403, Family Code, apply to a suit |
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affecting the parent-child relationship pending in a trial court on |
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or filed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |