85R26427 MM-F
By: Keough, Raymond, et al. H.B. No. 205
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 205:
By: Rose C.S.H.B. No. 205
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to procedures for ordering the required participation in
services in certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 264.203, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read
as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), if the court finds
by a preponderance of the evidence that abuse or neglect has
occurred or is likely to occur, the court on request of the
department may order the parent, managing conservator, guardian, or
other member of the subject child's household to:
(1) participate in the services the department
provides or purchases for:
(A) alleviating the effects of the abuse or
neglect that has occurred; or
(B) reducing the reasonable likelihood that the
child may be abused or neglected in the immediate or foreseeable
future; and
(2) permit the child and any siblings of the child to
receive the services.
(e) Before the court may order the participation of a
parent, managing conservator, guardian, or other member of the
subject child's household in services, the court shall advise any
person who is not represented by an attorney of:
(1) the right to be represented by an attorney; and
(2) if the person is indigent and opposes the order to
participate in services, the right to a court-appointed attorney,
subject to the procedures in Section 263.0061(b).
(f) If a parent, managing conservator, guardian, or other
member of the subject child's household is opposed to participating
in services and is not represented by an attorney at the hearing,
the court may not order the person to participate in services until
the person has either retained or been appointed an attorney.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed on or after the
effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the parent-child
relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.