By Goodman                                             H.B. No. 594
                                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 a 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 a 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 characterization of each party's assets,
1-13     liabilities, claims, and offsets on which disputed evidence has
1-14     been presented; and
1-15                 (2)  the value or amount of the community estate's
1-16     assets, liabilities, claims, and offsets on which disputed evidence
1-17     has been presented.
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, 2001, and
1-22     applies to a suit for dissolution of a marriage pending on that
1-23     date or filed on or after that date.