73R3684 SMH-D
          By Granoff                                            H.B. No. 1730
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the involuntary termination of the parent-child
    1-3  relationship.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 15, Family Code, is amended by adding
    1-6  Section 15.025 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 15.025.  INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION:  BEHAVIOR OF PARENT
    1-8  FOLLOWING PLACEMENT OF CHILD.  A petition by the Department of
    1-9  Protective and Regulatory Services requesting termination of the
   1-10  parent-child relationship with respect to a parent who is not the
   1-11  petitioner may be granted if the court finds that:
   1-12              (1)  the department has been the permanent managing
   1-13  conservator of the child for at least 12 months preceding the
   1-14  filing of the petition;
   1-15              (2)  the child has been placed by the department in
   1-16  foster home care, group home care, or institutional care;
   1-17              (3)  after the child was placed by the department in
   1-18  foster home care, group home care, or institutional care, the
   1-19  parent:
   1-20                    (A)  failed to:
   1-21                          (i)  maintain contact with the child, other
   1-22  than incidental contact; or
   1-23                          (ii)  provide for or substantially plan for
   1-24  the future of the child; or
    2-1                    (B)  neglected, abused, or failed to care for
    2-2  another child of the parent; and
    2-3              (4)  the termination is in the best interest of the
    2-4  child.
    2-5        SECTION 2.  This Act applies to a petition by the Department
    2-6  of Protective and Regulatory Services requesting termination of the
    2-7  parent-child relationship if the department has been the permanent
    2-8  managing conservator of the child for at least 12 months preceding
    2-9  the filing of the petition, regardless of whether the department
   2-10  was appointed conservator before or is appointed conservator on or
   2-11  after the effective date of this Act.
   2-12        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-13  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-14  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-15  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-16  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-17  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-18  passage, and it is so enacted.