By Gutierrez                                          H.B. No. 3093
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to standing to file suit to change the parent-child
 1-3     relationship.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 102.003, Family Code, is amended to read
 1-6     as follows:
 1-7     An original suit may be filed at any time by:
 1-8                 (1)  a parent of the child;
 1-9                 (2)  the child through a representative authorized by
1-10     the court;
1-11                 (3)  a custodian or person having the right to
1-12     visitation with or access to the child appointed by an order of a
1-13     court of another state or country;
1-14                 (4)  a guardian of the person or of the estate of the
1-15     child;
1-16                 (5)  a governmental entity;
1-17                 (6)  an authorized agency;
1-18                 (7)  a licensed child placing agency;
1-19                 (8)  a man alleging himself to be the biological father
1-20     of a child filing in accordance with Chapter 160, subject to the
1-21     limitations of Section 160.101, but not otherwise;
 2-1                 (9)  a person who has had actual care, control, and
 2-2     possession of the child for not less than six months preceding the
 2-3     filing of the petition;
 2-4                 (10)  a person designated as the managing conservator
 2-5     in a revoked or unrevoked affidavit of relinquishment under Chapter
 2-6     161 or to whom consent to adoption has been given in writing under
 2-7     Chapter 162;
 2-8                 (11)  a person with whom the child and the child's
 2-9     guardian, managing conservator, or parent have resided for not less
2-10     than six months preceding the filing of the petition if the child's
2-11     guardian, managing conservator, or parent is deceased at the time
2-12     of the filing of the petition; [or]
2-13                 (12)  a person who is the foster parent of a child
2-14     placed by the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services in
2-15     the person's home for a period of not less than 18 months preceding
2-16     the date of the filing of the petition[.]; or
2-17                 (13)  a person who is within three degrees of
2-18     consanguinity of the child, pursuant to Section 573.023 of the
2-19     Government Code, if the child's guardian, managing conservator, or
2-20     parent is deceased at the time of the filing of the petition.
2-21           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.