By Brady                                              H.B. No. 2570
       74R7710 JMM-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the designation of certain courts to conduct special
    1-3  hearings in proceedings involving the custody or welfare of a
    1-4  child.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 11, Family Code, is amended
    1-7  by adding Section 11.052 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 11.052.  DESIGNATION OF COURT FOR SPECIAL HEARINGS.  (a)
    1-9  The local administrative district judge in each county shall
   1-10  designate a district court to conduct special hearings under this
   1-11  section.
   1-12        (b)  A hearing under this section may be conducted by the
   1-13  judge of the designated district court or may be referred to a
   1-14  family law master.
   1-15        (c)  On application by a party to a proceeding under this
   1-16  title involving the custody or welfare of a child, the court shall
   1-17  stay the proceeding pending a special hearing before the court
   1-18  designated in this section.  At a special hearing under this
   1-19  section, each party shall be provided an opportunity to address the
   1-20  court on any issue in the proceeding and the district judge or
   1-21  master may question the parties on the issues raised.  On
   1-22  completion of the hearing, the judge or master shall report to the
   1-23  court in which the proceeding is pending on the matters raised and
   1-24  any agreement reached in the special hearing.
    2-1        (d)  The local administrative district judge may adopt rules
    2-2  for the procedures used in requesting and conducting a special
    2-3  hearing under this section.
    2-4        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995, and
    2-5  applies to a judicial proceeding pending on or after that date.
    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.