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.