SRC-JLB, MSY S.B. 151 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 151
78R2367 MCK-DBy: Jackson
Jurisprudence
2/5/2003
As Filed


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 seventeen states with no statutes addressing
foreign adoptions.  As proposed, 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 Chapter 162A, Family Code, by adding Section 162.023,
as follows: 

Sec.  162.023.  ADOPTION ORDER FROM FOREIGN COUNTRY.  (a)  Requires the
courts of this state to recognize and enforce an adoption order rendered
to a U.S. citizen under foreign law as if it were rendered by a court in
this state, except as otherwise provided by federal law. 

(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.