H.B. No. 821




AN ACT

relating to the methods of providing notice of an associate judge's 
report in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Sections 201.011(c) and (d), Family Code, are 
amended to read as follows:
	(c)  Notice may be given to the parties:                                       
		(1)  in open court, by an oral statement or a copy of 
the associate judge's written report, including any proposed order;  
[or]
		(2)  by certified mail, return receipt requested; or                   
		(3)  by facsimile transmission.                                        
	(d)  The associate judge shall certify the date of mailing of 
notice by certified mail or the date of the facsimile transmission.  
There is a rebuttable presumption that notice is received on the 
date stated on:
		(1)  the signed return receipt, if notice was provided 
by certified mail; or
		(2)  the confirmation page produced by the facsimile 
machine, if notice was provided by facsimile transmission [Notice 
is considered given on the third day after the date of mailing].
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 821 was passed by the House on March 
28, 2003, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	I certify that H.B. No. 821 was passed by the Senate on May 
20, 2003, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Secretary of the Senate    



APPROVED:  _____________________                                            
 
                   Date                                                      




 
          _____________________                                          
 
                 Governor