By:  Jackson                                                      S.B. No. 151
	(In the Senate - Filed December 12, 2002; January 30, 2003, 
read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; 
February 24, 2003, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 
5, Nays 0; February 24, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the recognition of foreign adoptions and the issuance 
of a supplementary birth certificate.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 162, Family Code, is 
amended by adding Section 162.023 to read as follows:
	Sec. 162.023.  ADOPTION ORDER FROM FOREIGN COUNTRY.  
(a)  Except as otherwise provided by federal law, an adoption order 
rendered to a United States citizen that is made under due process 
of law by a foreign country shall be accorded full faith and credit 
by the courts of this state and enforced as if the order were 
rendered by a court in this state.
	(b)  A person who adopts a child in a foreign country may 
register the order in this state.  A petition for registration of a 
foreign adoption order may be combined with a petition for a name 
change.  If the court finds that the foreign adoption order meets 
the requirements of Subsection (a), the court shall order the state 
registrar to:
		(1)  register the order under Chapter 192, Health and 
Safety Code; and
		(2)  file a certificate of birth for the child under 
Section 192.006, Health and Safety Code.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



* * * * *