By:  Staples, et al.                                  S.B. No. 1064
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to adoption services of the Department of Protective and
 1-3     Regulatory Services with respect to sibling groups.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 162.302, Family Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
 1-7           (e)  It is the intent of the legislature that the department
 1-8     in providing adoption services, when it is in the children's best
 1-9     interest, keep siblings together and whenever possible place
1-10     siblings in the same adoptive home.
1-11           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-12     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-13     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-14     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-15     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.