By: Hill H.B. No. 2163
73R1384 MJW-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to possession of or access to a child 12 years of age or
1-3 older.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 14.07(a), Family Code, is amended to read
1-6 as follows:
1-7 (a) The best interest of the child shall always be the
1-8 primary consideration of the court in determining questions of
1-9 managing conservatorship, possession, and support of and access to
1-10 the child. If the child is 12 years of age or older, the child
1-11 <he> may, by writing filed with the court:
1-12 (1) <,> choose the managing conservator, subject to
1-13 the approval of the court; and
1-14 (2) express a preference that the court shall consider
1-15 regarding the times and frequency of possession of or access to the
1-16 child by the possessory conservator.
1-17 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
1-18 applies to a court's determination regarding possession of or
1-19 access to a child that is made on or after the effective date of
1-20 this Act. A court's determination regarding possession of or
1-21 access to a child that is made before the effective date of this
1-22 Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the determination
1-23 is made, and the former law is continued in effect for this
1-24 purpose.
2-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.