BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1734 By: Orr Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas Legislature has taken important steps to modernize the judicial process, including by improving how cases are transferred between courts. The bill author has informed the committee that suits affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR) can close and reopen multiple times until the youngest child turns 18 and can be transferred between applicable courts. The bill author has further informed the committee that the process for a transferred SAPCR can be improved by requiring the court clerk to send pleadings related to the pending matter, rather than the original papers filed in the transferring court. Consequently, parties to the SAPCR, who are charged for each page transferred, would not be required to pay for hundreds of pages of moot filings. H.B. 1734 seeks to reduce costs for parties to a SAPCR and increase judicial efficiency by revising the requirement for a court clerk to send certain files in a transferred SAPCR to a receiving court. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 1734 amends the Family Code to revise the requirement for a court clerk, following the transfer of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, to send certain files to the receiving court by removing as a transferred file a copy of the original papers filed in the transferring court and requiring the clerk instead to send a copy of the pleadings in the proceeding and any other document specifically requested by a party. H.B. 1734 applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which an order transferring continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to another court is rendered on or after the bill's effective date. A suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which an order transferring continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to another court is rendered before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the order was rendered, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1734
By: Orr
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1734
By: Orr
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas Legislature has taken important steps to modernize the judicial process, including by improving how cases are transferred between courts. The bill author has informed the committee that suits affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR) can close and reopen multiple times until the youngest child turns 18 and can be transferred between applicable courts. The bill author has further informed the committee that the process for a transferred SAPCR can be improved by requiring the court clerk to send pleadings related to the pending matter, rather than the original papers filed in the transferring court. Consequently, parties to the SAPCR, who are charged for each page transferred, would not be required to pay for hundreds of pages of moot filings. H.B. 1734 seeks to reduce costs for parties to a SAPCR and increase judicial efficiency by revising the requirement for a court clerk to send certain files in a transferred SAPCR to a receiving court.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1734 amends the Family Code to revise the requirement for a court clerk, following the transfer of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, to send certain files to the receiving court by removing as a transferred file a copy of the original papers filed in the transferring court and requiring the clerk instead to send a copy of the pleadings in the proceeding and any other document specifically requested by a party. H.B. 1734 applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which an order transferring continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to another court is rendered on or after the bill's effective date. A suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which an order transferring continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to another court is rendered before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the order was rendered, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Texas Legislature has taken important steps to modernize the judicial process, including by improving how cases are transferred between courts. The bill author has informed the committee that suits affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR) can close and reopen multiple times until the youngest child turns 18 and can be transferred between applicable courts. The bill author has further informed the committee that the process for a transferred SAPCR can be improved by requiring the court clerk to send pleadings related to the pending matter, rather than the original papers filed in the transferring court. Consequently, parties to the SAPCR, who are charged for each page transferred, would not be required to pay for hundreds of pages of moot filings. H.B. 1734 seeks to reduce costs for parties to a SAPCR and increase judicial efficiency by revising the requirement for a court clerk to send certain files in a transferred SAPCR to a receiving court.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1734 amends the Family Code to revise the requirement for a court clerk, following the transfer of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, to send certain files to the receiving court by removing as a transferred file a copy of the original papers filed in the transferring court and requiring the clerk instead to send a copy of the pleadings in the proceeding and any other document specifically requested by a party.
H.B. 1734 applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which an order transferring continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to another court is rendered on or after the bill's effective date. A suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which an order transferring continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to another court is rendered before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the order was rendered, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.