By Conley                                              H.B. No. 196
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to prohibiting the consideration of race in adoptions and
    1-3  foster care.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 16, Family Code, is amended
    1-6  by adding Section 16.081 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 16.081.  RACE OR ETHNICITY.  In determining the best
    1-8  interest of the child under Section 16.08 of this code, the court
    1-9  may not deny the adoption solely on the basis of race or ethnicity
   1-10  of the child or the prospective adoptive parents.
   1-11        SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 41, Human Resources Code,
   1-12  is amended by adding Section 41.028 to read as follows:
   1-13        Sec. 41.028.  RACE OR ETHNICITY.  The department may not
   1-14  prohibit the placement of a child in foster care or remove a child
   1-15  from foster care solely on the basis of race or ethnicity of the
   1-16  child or the foster family.
   1-17        SECTION 3.  Chapter 47, Human Resources Code, is amended by
   1-18  adding Subchapter C to read as follows:
   1-19                 SUBCHAPTER C.  PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN
   1-20        Sec. 47.041.  RACE OR ETHNICITY.  The department, a county
   1-21  child-care or welfare unit, or a licensed adoption agency may not
   1-22  deny placement of a child for adoption solely on the basis of the
   1-23  race or ethnicity of the child or prospective adoptive parents.
   1-24        SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
    2-1  applies to an adoption or placement of a child that is:
    2-2              (1)  commenced on or after that date; or
    2-3              (2)  commenced before that date but is pending or
    2-4  becomes final on or after that date.
    2-5        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-6  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-7  emergency   and   an   imperative   public   necessity   that   the
    2-8  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-9  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.