SRC-AMY S.B. 151 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 151
By: Jackson
Jurisprudence
8/15/2003
Enrolled

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law contains no provisions regarding the adoption of a
child from a foreign country by a citizen of the United States.
Therefore, the procedure for such an adoption is determined by each
individual county, and there are concerns of conflicting procedures among
counties.  Texas is one of 17 states with no statutes addressing foreign
adoptions.  S.B. 151 provides a unified procedure throughout the state
relating to international adoptions and birth certificates for such
adoptees.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 162, Family Code, by adding
Section 162.023, as follows: 

Sec.  162.023.  ADOPTION ORDER FROM FOREIGN COUNTRY.  (a)  Requires the
courts of this state,  except as otherwise provided by federal law, to
recognize and enforce an adoption order rendered to a resident of this
state by a foreign country as if it were rendered by a court in this
state, unless the adoption law or process of the foreign country violates
the fundamental principles of human rights or the laws or public policy of
this state. 

(b)  Authorizes a person who adopts a child in a foreign country to
register the order in this state and to combine the petition for
registration with a petition for a name change.   Requires the court to
order the state registrar to take certain actions upon finding that the
foreign adoption order meets the requirements of Subsection (a). 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.