1-1 By: Thompson (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 2158 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 9, 2001; 1-3 April 9, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Jurisprudence; May 1, 2001, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 1, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the acceleration of the appeal in certain suits 1-9 affecting the parent-child relationship. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Section 109.002(a), Family Code, is amended to 1-12 read as follows: 1-13 (a) An appeal from a final order rendered in a suit, when 1-14 allowed under this section or under other provisions of law, shall 1-15 be as in civil cases generally. An appeal in a suit in which 1-16 termination of the parent-child relationship is in issue shall be 1-17 given precedence over other civil cases and shall be accelerated by 1-18 the appellate courts. The procedures for an accelerated appeal 1-19 under the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure apply to an appeal in 1-20 which the termination of the parent-child relationship is in issue. 1-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 1-22 applies only to an appeal in a suit affecting the parent-child 1-23 relationship pending on or begun on or after that date. 1-24 * * * * *