| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to the qualifications for an impartial third party in |
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| 8 | 6 | | certain civil disputes. |
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| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 154.052(b), Civil Practice and Remedies |
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| 11 | 9 | | Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 10 | | (b) To qualify for an appointment as an impartial third |
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| 13 | 11 | | party under this subchapter in a dispute relating to the |
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| 14 | 12 | | parent-child relationship, a person must complete the training |
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| 15 | 13 | | required by Subsection (a) and an additional 24 hours of training in |
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| 16 | 14 | | the fields of family dynamics, child development, and family law, |
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| 17 | 15 | | including a minimum of four hours of family violence dynamics |
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| 18 | 16 | | training developed in consultation with a statewide family violence |
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| 19 | 17 | | advocacy organization. |
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| 20 | 18 | | SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 154.052, Civil Practice |
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| 21 | 19 | | and Remedies Code, as amended by this Act, a person who satisfies |
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| 22 | 20 | | the qualifications to be an impartial third party in effect |
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| 23 | 21 | | immediately before the effective date of this Act is not required to |
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| 24 | 22 | | comply with the requirements imposed by that section, as amended by |
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| 25 | 23 | | this Act, until January 1, 2018, to be qualified to serve as an |
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| 26 | 24 | | impartial third party under Subchapter C, Chapter 154, Civil |
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| 27 | 25 | | Practice and Remedies Code, and the former law is continued in |
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| 28 | 26 | | effect for that purpose. |
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| 29 | 27 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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| 28 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 29 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 30 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 539 passed the Senate on |
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| 31 | + | March 22, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 1. |
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| 32 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 33 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 34 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 539 passed the House on |
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| 35 | + | May 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 2, two |
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| 36 | + | present not voting. |
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| 37 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 38 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 39 | + | Approved: |
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| 40 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 41 | + | Date |
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| 42 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | + | Governor |
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