| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 891 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to the use of expert testimony in certain suits affecting |
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| 6 | 6 | | the parent-child relationship. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 104.008, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 9 | 9 | | adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (a-1) Subsection (a) does not prohibit a person from |
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| 11 | 11 | | offering an expert opinion regarding the qualifications of, |
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| 12 | 12 | | reliability of the methodology used by, or relevance of the |
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| 13 | 13 | | information obtained by a person who has conducted a custody |
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| 14 | 14 | | evaluation relating to the child under Subchapter D, Chapter 107, |
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| 15 | 15 | | as long as the person's testimony does not violate Subsection (a). |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 17 | 17 | | a suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is filed on or |
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| 18 | 18 | | after the effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the |
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| 19 | 19 | | parent-child relationship filed before the effective date of this |
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| 20 | 20 | | Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the suit is filed, |
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| 21 | 21 | | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 23 | 23 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 24 | 24 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 25 | 25 | | I certify that H.B. No. 891 was passed by the House on May 6, |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 133, Nays 1, 2 present, not |
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| 27 | 27 | | voting. |
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| 28 | 28 | | ______________________________ |
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| 29 | 29 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 30 | 30 | | I certify that H.B. No. 891 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 31 | 31 | | 19, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 32 | 32 | | ______________________________ |
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| 33 | 33 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 34 | 34 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 35 | 35 | | Date |
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| 36 | 36 | | _____________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | Governor |
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