By Smith                                               H.B. No. 753
         76R2948 CMR-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a child's choice of managing conservator in a suit
 1-3     affecting the parent-child relationship.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 153.008, Family Code, is amended to read
 1-6     as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 153.008. CHILD'S CHOICE OF MANAGING CONSERVATOR. If the
 1-8     child is 10 [12] years of age or older, the child may, by writing
 1-9     filed with  the court, choose the managing conservator, subject to
1-10     the approval of the court.
1-11           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-12     applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship
1-13     filed on or after that date. A suit affecting the parent-child
1-14     relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is
1-15     governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and
1-16     the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.