By Longoria                                            H.B. No. 465
         77R1725 KSD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a suit for a 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) A spouse may file a suit
 1-7     to obtain from the court an order of legal separation from the
 1-8     person's spouse.
 1-9           (b)  A court may render an order of legal separation on any
1-10     grounds that a court may grant a divorce under Subchapter A.
1-11           (c)  If a suit for dissolution of marriage is not filed by
1-12     either of the parties to the marriage before the first anniversary
1-13     of the date the order of legal separation was rendered, the
1-14     separation is dissolved.
1-15           (d)  To the extent practicable, the procedures in this
1-16     chapter for a suit for a dissolution of marriage apply to a suit
1-17     for legal separation.
1-18           (e)  To the extent permitted by law, the parties to a suit in
1-19     which an order of legal separation is rendered may determine by
1-20     agreement child possession and access, child support, property
1-21     rights, and spousal maintenance for the period of legal separation.
1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.