| 1 | 1 | | 89R2384 AMF-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Cook H.B. No. 1973 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | relating to proof of the identity of a child's parents in a suit |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | affecting the parent-child relationship. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 102.008, Family Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | follows: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | (c-1) The petitioner shall additionally submit to the court |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | a certified copy of the child's birth certificate if available to |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | the petitioner. If a certified copy of the child's birth |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | certificate is not available to the petitioner, the court at any |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | time during the pendency of the suit may request another party to |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | whom a certified copy of the child's birth certificate is available |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | to submit a copy to the court. If a certified copy of the child's |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | birth certificate is not available to any party or if the copy does |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | not name both of the child's parents, the court may request from any |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | party at any time during the pendency of the suit alternative proof |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | of the identity of the child's parents. The court shall keep |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | confidential any certificate or other proof submitted under this |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | subsection. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | the Title IV-D agency files a petition in a suit affecting the |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | parent-child relationship, the agency is not required to: |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (1) include in the petition the statement described by |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | Subsection (b)(11); [or] |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (2) attach copies of the documentation described by |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | Subsection (c); or |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (3) submit to the court a copy of a child's birth |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | certificate or other proof of the identity of the child's parents as |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | described by Subsection (c-1). |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is filed on or |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | after the effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | parent-child relationship filed before the effective date of this |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|