BILL ANALYSIS


                                                     C.S.S.B. 338
                                                    By: Zaffirini
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          2-28-95
                                   Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

The existing grounds for termination of parental rights do not
apply to parental acts and omissions subsequent to a child's
placement in foster care.  Current Texas law limits the judge or
jury from considering actions which the parent engaged in prior to
the child's entry into foster care.  Often, children remain in
temporary foster care because their parents do not make any
substantial effort to remedy the conditions that led to the
children's original placement in foster care.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 338 sets forth conditions under which a
petition requesting termination of the parent-child relationship
may be granted.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 15.02(a)(1)(N), Family Code, to authorize
termination of the parent-child relationship if the court finds
that the parent has constructively abandoned the child who has been
in the managing conservatorship of the Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services or an authorized agency for not less than one
year and the department or authorized agency has made reasonable
efforts to return the child to the parent, the parent has not
visited or maintained contact with the child, the parent has
demonstrated an inability to provide the child with a safe
environment, and that termination is in the best interest of the
child.

SECTION 2. Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.