By:  Morrison (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro)                          H.B. No. 1648
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 28, 2003; 
May 1, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Jurisprudence; May 14, 2003, reported favorably by the following 
vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 14, 2003, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to standing for certain foster parents to file suit to adopt a child. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 102.003, Family Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: (c) Notwithstanding the time requirements of Subsection (a)(12), a person who is the foster parent of a child may file a suit to adopt a child for whom the person is providing foster care at any time after the person has been approved to adopt the child. The standing to file suit under this subsection applies only to the adoption of a child who is eligible to be adopted. SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2003. (b) The change in law made by this Act applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed before that date 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.
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