By West                                                H.B. No. 589
         76R2304 CMR-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to when an affidavit of relinquishment of parental rights
 1-3     may be executed by a parent.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 161.103(a), Family Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  An affidavit for voluntary relinquishment of parental
 1-8     rights must be:
 1-9                 (1)  signed after the birth of the child, but not
1-10     before 24 [48] hours after the birth of the child, by the parent,
1-11     whether or not a minor, whose parental rights are to be
1-12     relinquished;
1-13                 (2)  witnessed by two credible persons;  and
1-14                 (3)  verified before a person authorized to take oaths.
1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-16     applies only to an affidavit of relinquishment of parental  rights
1-17     executed on or after that date.  An affidavit of relinquishment of
1-18     parental rights executed before  the effective date of this Act is
1-19     governed by the law in effect the date the affidavit was executed,
1-20     and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.