By Goodman                                            H.B. No. 1268
         76R5142 CMR-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to findings of fact and conclusions of law by a court in a
 1-3     suit for dissolution of marriage.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 6, Family Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Section 6.711 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 6.711.  FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW.  (a)
 1-8     In a suit for dissolution of marriage in which the court has
 1-9     rendered a judgment dividing the estate of the parties, on request
1-10     by a party, the court shall state in writing its findings of fact
1-11     and conclusions of law concerning:
1-12                 (1)  the character of the disputed assets of the
1-13     parties;
1-14                 (2)  the value of the community assets and liabilities
1-15     on which disputed evidence has been presented; and
1-16                 (3)  the amount of reimbursement claims and offsets
1-17     found by the court to be equitable.
1-18           (b)  A request for findings of fact and conclusions of law
1-19     under this section must conform to the Texas Rules of Civil
1-20     Procedure.
1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-22     applies to a suit for dissolution of marriage pending on that date
1-23     or filed on or after that date.
1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.