By Reyna of Bexar                                     H.B. No. 2286
         76R5833 CMR-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to an order of legal separation in a marriage.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 6, Family Code, is amended
 1-5     by adding Section 6.309 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 6.309.  LEGAL SEPARATION.  A spouse may file with the
 1-7     clerk of court a notice of legal separation from the person's
 1-8     spouse.  If a suit for dissolution of marriage is not filed by
 1-9     either of the parties to the marriage before the first anniversary
1-10     of the date the notice of legal separation was filed, the
1-11     separation is dissolved.
1-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.