78R5259 KLA-D
By: Goodman H.B. No. 980
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the circumstances under which a child may be adopted.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 162.001(b), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) A child residing in this state may be adopted if:
(1) the parent-child relationship as to each living
parent of the child has been terminated or a suit for termination is
joined with the suit for adoption;
(2) the parent whose rights have not been terminated
is presently the spouse of the petitioner and the proceeding is for
a stepparent adoption; or
(3) the child is at least two years old, the
parent-child relationship has been terminated with respect to one
parent, the person seeking the adoption [is the child's former
stepparent and] has been a managing conservator or has had actual
care, possession, and control of the child for a period of six
months preceding the adoption or is the child's former stepparent,
and the nonterminated parent consents to the adoption[; or
[(4) the child is at least two years old, the
parent-child relationship has been terminated with respect to one
parent, and the person seeking the adoption is the child's former
stepparent and has been a managing conservator or has had actual
care, possession, and control of the child for a period of one year
preceding the adoption].
SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.
(b) The change in law made by this Act applies only to a suit
for adoption filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A
suit for adoption filed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.