By Staples                                            H.B. No. 2215

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to court-ordered family counseling for conflicts regarding

 1-3     issues of conservatorship or possession of or access to a child.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 153.010, Family Code, is amended to read

 1-6     as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 153.010.  ORDER FOR FAMILY COUNSELING.  If the court

 1-8     finds at the time of a hearing that the parties have a history of

 1-9     conflict in resolving an issue of conservatorship or possession of

1-10     or access to the child, the court may order a party to:

1-11                 (1)  participate in counseling with a mental health

1-12     professional who:

1-13                       (A)  has a background in family therapy;

1-14                       (B)  has a mental health license that requires as

1-15     a minimum a master's degree; and

1-16                       (C)  has training in domestic violence [person

1-17     appointed by the court]; and

1-18                 (2)  pay the cost of counseling.

1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.