By Madden H.B. No. 1888 75R7097 SKB-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to education of parties to a suit affecting the 1-3 parent-child relationship regarding the effect of divorce on 1-4 children. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 151, Family Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 151.005 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 151.005. EDUCATION REGARDING EFFECT OF DIVORCE ON 1-9 CHILDREN. (a) In a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, 1-10 the court may order any party to the suit to attend a four-hour 1-11 course regarding the effect of divorce on children. 1-12 (b) Only a person or group approved by the court may conduct 1-13 a course under this section. An individual conducting the course 1-14 must have a background in parent education or family therapy. 1-15 (c) A course conducted under this section must include 1-16 information regarding: 1-17 (1) the developmental stages of children, including 1-18 the needs and expectations of children at different ages; 1-19 (2) indicators of stress in children; 1-20 (3) reduction of stress for a child whose parents are 1-21 divorcing; 1-22 (4) the grief process; 1-23 (5) changing parental and marital roles in our 1-24 society; 2-1 (6) visitation recommendations for enhancing a child's 2-2 relationship with both parents; 2-3 (7) financial obligations of raising a child; and 2-4 (8) conflict management and dispute resolution. 2-5 (d) On a party's failure to attend or complete a course that 2-6 the party is ordered to attend under this section, the court may 2-7 take appropriate action, including holding that party in contempt 2-8 of court, striking pleadings, or invoking any of the sanctions 2-9 provided by Rule 215, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. 2-10 (e) A court ordering a party to attend a course under this 2-11 section may order the party to pay a reasonable fee set by the 2-12 court for the course. 2-13 (f) A court may not order a party to attend a course under 2-14 this section if the suit was brought by the Department of 2-15 Protective and Regulatory Services, the office of the attorney 2-16 general, or a party seeking a protective order under Chapter 71. 2-17 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a 2-18 suit affecting the parent-child relationship regardless of whether 2-19 the suit is filed before, on, or after the effective date of this 2-20 Act. 2-21 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-22 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.