Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 596 amends provisions of the Family Code relating to the modification of orders in suits affecting the parent-child relationship. The bill includes provisions to raise from 10 to 12 years the age at which a child may choose or be interviewed on the choice of the managing conservator; replace references to sole and joint managing conservators with references to conservators or persons with the exclusive right to determine a child's primary residence; allow a court to modify an order that would provide for the appointment, terms, and conditions of a conservator if the conservator with exclusive right to establish the child's primary residence had voluntarily relinquished care and possession of the child for at least six months; and provide that the conviction or deferred adjudication for an offense involving sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, or indecency with a child is sufficient to justify a temporary order and modification of an existing order for the appointment of conservator or possession of or access to a child.