77R12865 KSD-D                           
         By Menendez                                           H.B. No. 1453
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1453:
         By Nixon                                          C.S.H.B. No. 1453
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the service of citation by publication in a suit
 1-3     affecting the parent-child relationship.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 102.010, Family Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:
 1-7           (d)  In any suit in which service of citation is by
 1-8     publication, a statement of the evidence of service, approved and
 1-9     signed by the court, must be filed with the papers of the suit as a
1-10     part of the record.
1-11           (e)  In a suit filed under Chapter 262, the court may order
1-12     substituted service of citation by publication, including
1-13     publication by posting the citation at the courthouse door for a
1-14     specified time, if the court finds and states in its order that the
1-15     method of substituted service is as likely as citation by
1-16     publication as described by Subsection (c) to give the respondent
1-17     actual notice of the suit.  If the court orders that citation by
1-18     publication shall be completed by posting the citation at the
1-19     courthouse door for a specified time, service must be completed on,
1-20     and the answer date is computed from, the expiration date of the
1-21     posting period.  If the court orders another method of substituted
1-22     service of citation by publication, service shall be completed as
1-23     directed by the court.
1-24           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
 2-1     applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship
 2-2     filed on or after that date.  A suit affecting the parent-child
 2-3     relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is
 2-4     governed by the law in effect on the date that the suit was filed,
 2-5     and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.