85R2241 MM-D
By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 738
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a filing requirement for certain petitions for the
termination of the parent-child relationship.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 161, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 161.1011 to read as follows:
Sec. 161.1011. FILING REQUIREMENT FOR PETITION RELATING TO
MORE THAN ONE CHILD. (a) Before filing a petition for the
termination of the parent-child relationship relating to more than
one child, the Department of Family and Protective Services must
determine whether any court has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction
of a child named in the petition. If a court is determined to have
continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a child named in the
petition, the department shall file the petition in that court.
(b) If more than one court has continuing, exclusive
jurisdiction of a child named in the petition, the department shall
file the petition in the court that has most recently exercised
continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a child named in the
petition.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only 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.