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.