By:  Schechter                                         H.B. No. 545
       73R302 MJW-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to enforcement of orders in child abuse cases.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 34.53(a), Family Code, is amended to read
    1-5  as follows:
    1-6        (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section,
    1-7  the court on request of the department may order the parent,
    1-8  managing conservator, guardian, or other member of the abused
    1-9  child's household to participate in the services the department
   1-10  provides or purchases for alleviating the effects of abuse and to
   1-11  permit the abused child and any siblings to receive the services.
   1-12  The department may request the court to order the parent, managing
   1-13  conservator, guardian, or other member of the abused child's
   1-14  household to participate in the services whether the child resides
   1-15  in the home or has been removed from the home.  If the person
   1-16  ordered to participate in the services fails to follow the court's
   1-17  order, the court may impose community service as a sanction for
   1-18  contempt in addition to other sanctions allowed by law.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  Section 34.54(c), Family Code, is amended to read
   1-20  as follows:
   1-21        (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d) of this section, on
   1-22  request of the department a court may require the parent, managing
   1-23  conservator, guardian, or other member of the child's household to
   1-24  participate in the services provided by the department and to allow
    2-1  the child and any siblings to participate.  If a parent, managing
    2-2  conservator, guardian, or other member of the child's household
    2-3  fails to follow the court's order, the court may impose community
    2-4  service as a sanction for contempt in addition to other sanctions
    2-5  allowed by law.
    2-6        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-11  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-12  passage, and it is so enacted.