By Shapiro                                              S.B. No. 52

      75R1494 SKB-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the validity of adoption orders.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 162.012(a), Family Code, is amended to

 1-5     read as follows:

 1-6           (a)  The validity of an adoption order is not subject to

 1-7     attack after six months after [the second anniversary of] the date

 1-8     the order was rendered.

 1-9           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-10     applies only to an adoption order rendered on or after that date.

1-11     An adoption order rendered before the effective date of this Act is

1-12     governed by the law as it existed immediately before that date, and

1-13     that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

1-14           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.