78R2780 KLA-D

By:  Hinojosa                                                     S.B. No. 1891



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the jurisdiction of the County Court at Law No. 5 of 
Nueces County.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 25.1801(c), Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(c)  The County Court at Law No. 5 of Nueces County shall give 
preference to:
		(1)  any proceeding involving an order relating to a 
child in the possession or custody of the Department of Protective 
and Regulatory Services or for whom the court has appointed a 
temporary or permanent managing conservator;
		(2)  proceedings under Title 3, Family Code;  and                             
		(3)  mental health matters over which the court has 
jurisdiction under Section 25.1802(a)(4).
	SECTION 2.  Section 25.1802(r), Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(r)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by this section 
for statutory county courts of Nueces County, the County Court at 
Law No. 5 of Nueces County has jurisdiction of:
		(1)  proceedings under Title 3, Family Code;  and                             
		(2)  any proceeding involving an order relating to a 
child in the possession or custody of the Department of Protective 
and Regulatory Services or for whom the court has appointed a 
temporary or permanent managing conservator.
	SECTION 2.  Sections 25.1801 and 25.1802, Government Code, 
as amended by this Act, apply only to a suit affecting the 
parent-child relationship under Title 5, Family Code, commenced on 
or after the effective date of this Act.  A suit affecting the 
parent-child relationship commenced 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.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.