81R4141 KKA-F
By: Gonzalez Toureilles H.B. No. 1011
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to court-ordered access to a child by the child's sibling.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 102.0045(b), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Access to a child by a sibling of the child is governed
by the standards established by Section 153.551 [Subchapter J,
Chapter 153].
SECTION 2. Section 153.551, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(b) A [The] sibling described by Subsection (a) [of a child]
may request access to the child in a suit filed for the sole purpose
of requesting the relief, without regard to whether the appointment
of a managing conservator is an issue in the suit.
(c) The court shall order reasonable access to the child by
the child's sibling described by Subsection (a) if the court finds
that access is in the best interest of the child.
SECTION 3. Section 156.002, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The sibling of a child who is separated from the child
because of the actions of the Department of Family and Protective
Services may file a suit for modification requesting access to the
child in the court with continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
SECTION 4. Section 153.552, Family Code, is repealed.
SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a suit affecting the parent-child relationship pending in a trial
court on or filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.