By: Harris S.B. No. 147 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the designation of the primary physical residence of a 1-2 child in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 153.136, Family Code, is amended to read 1-5 as follows: 1-6 Sec. 153.136. COURT DESIGNATION OF PRIMARY PHYSICAL 1-7 RESIDENCE. (a) If joint managing conservatorship is ordered, the 1-8 best interest of the child ordinarily requires the court to 1-9 designate a primary physical residence for the child. 1-10 (b) In designating the primary physical residence of the 1-11 child, the court shall consider as one factor favoring the 1-12 designation of a parent's residence as the primary physical 1-13 residence whether the parent is more likely to allow the child 1-14 frequent and continuing contact with the other parent and to 1-15 facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parent-child 1-16 relationship between the child and the other parent. 1-17 (c) The court may not designate as the child's primary 1-18 physical residence the residence of a parent if credible evidence 1-19 is presented of a history or pattern of past or present child 1-20 neglect or physical or sexual abuse by that parent against the 1-21 other parent, a spouse, or a child. 1-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and 1-23 applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship 1-24 filed on or after that date. A suit affecting the parent-child 2-1 relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is 2-2 governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and 2-3 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-4 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.