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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a filing requirement for certain petitions for the |
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termination of 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. Subchapter B, Chapter 161, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 161.1011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 161.1011. FILING REQUIREMENT FOR PETITION RELATING TO |
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MORE THAN ONE CHILD. (a) Before filing a petition for the |
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termination of the parent-child relationship relating to more than |
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one child, the Department of Family and Protective Services must |
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determine whether any court has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction |
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of a child named in the petition. If a court is determined to have |
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continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a child named in the |
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petition, the department shall file the petition in that court. |
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(b) If more than one court has continuing, exclusive |
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jurisdiction of a child named in the petition, the department shall |
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file the petition in the court that has most recently exercised |
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continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a child named in the |
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petition. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed on or after |
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the 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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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |