| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 85R782 MK-D | |
| 2 | 2 | By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 739 | |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 5 | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | |
| 6 | 6 | AN ACT | |
| 7 | 7 | relating to the postponement of certain hearings in suits affecting | |
| 8 | 8 | the parent-child relationship involving the Department of Family | |
| 9 | 9 | and Protective Services. | |
| 10 | 10 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
| 11 | 11 | SECTION 1. Section 262.201, Family Code, is amended by | |
| 12 | 12 | adding Subsection (a-5) to read as follows: | |
| 13 | 13 | (a-5) If a parent who is not indigent appears in opposition | |
| 14 | 14 | to the suit, the court may, for good cause shown, postpone the full | |
| 15 | 15 | adversary hearing for not more than seven days from the date of the | |
| 16 | 16 | parent's appearance to allow the parent to hire an attorney or to | |
| 17 | 17 | provide the parent's attorney time to respond to the petition and | |
| 18 | 18 | prepare for the hearing. A postponement under this subsection is | |
| 19 | 19 | subject to the limits and requirements prescribed by Subsection | |
| 20 | 20 | (a-3). | |
| 21 | 21 | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only | |
| 22 | 22 | to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed on or after | |
| 23 | 23 | the effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the parent-child | |
| 24 | 24 | relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is | |
| 25 | 25 | governed by the law in effect on the date that the suit was filed, | |
| 26 | 26 | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | |
| 27 | 27 | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |