CJ S.B. 1384 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


JUVENILE JUSTICE & FAMILY ISSUES
S.B. 1384
By: Haywood (Hirschi)
5-23-97
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND 

Children of parents undergoing the process of divorce must cope with many
issues.  In an attempt to help these children and their parents, a few
states and counties have established a court-ordered seminar to educate
parents and to minimize the pain children and parents go through during
the process of divorce.  This bill will provide regulations regarding
counseling and education programs for certain persons in a suit for
divorce or a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1384 provide regulations regarding counseling and
education programs for certain persons in a suit for divorce or a suit
affecting the parent-child relationship. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 6.505, Family Code, to require the counseling to
include counseling on issues that confront children who are the subject of
a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, if the court orders
counseling under this section and the parties to the marriage are the
parents of a child under 18 years of age born or adopted during the
marriage. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.