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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the time for entering a final order in certain suits |
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affecting the parent-child relationship involving the Department |
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of Family and Protective Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 263, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 263.4011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 263.4011. RENDERING FINAL ORDER; EXTENSION. (a) On |
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timely commencement of the trial on the merits under Section |
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263.401, the court shall render a final order not later than the |
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90th day after the date the trial commences. |
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(b) The 90-day period for rendering a final order under |
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Subsection (a) is not tolled for any recess during the trial. |
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(c) The court may extend the 90-day period under Subsection |
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(a) for the period the court determines necessary if, after a |
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hearing, the court finds good cause for the extension. If the court |
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grants a good cause extension under this subsection, the court |
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shall render a written order specifying: |
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(1) the grounds on which the extension is granted; and |
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(2) the length of the extension. |
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(d) A party may file a mandamus proceeding if the court |
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fails to render a final order within the time required by this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 263.4011, Family Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship |
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filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A suit affecting |
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the parent-child relationship filed before that date is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |