1-1 By: Patterson S.B. No. 947 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 5, 1997; March 10, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; 1-4 March 26, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; March 26, 1997, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 947 By: Ogden 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the designation of a primary physical residence for a 1-11 child in an order of joint managing conservatorship of the child. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Section 153.136, Family Code, is amended to read 1-14 as follows: 1-15 Sec. 153.136. COURT DESIGNATION OF PRIMARY PHYSICAL 1-16 RESIDENCE. (a) If joint managing conservatorship is ordered, the 1-17 best interest of the child ordinarily requires the court to 1-18 designate a primary physical residence for the child. 1-19 (b) If the court designates a primary physical residence for 1-20 the child, the court shall give preference to the residence of the 1-21 parent who is more likely to allow the child frequent and 1-22 continuing contact with the other parent and to facilitate and 1-23 encourage a close and continuing parent-child relationship between 1-24 the child and the other parent. 1-25 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 1-26 applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship 1-27 filed on or after that date. A suit affecting the parent-child 1-28 relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is 1-29 governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and 1-30 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-31 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-32 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-33 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-34 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-35 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-36 * * * * *