BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 804

80R7583 MCK-D                                                                                                              By: Uresti

Jurisprudence

3/20/2007

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Concerns have been raised regarding the foster care placement or adoptive placement of siblings in different homes.  Under current law, a foster parent or an adoptive parent of a child does not have legal standing to bring suit to obtain custody of a sibling of a child already in that parent’s custody.

As proposed, S.B. 804 authorizes such a parent to bring suit in order to have the siblings placed together in the same home.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 102.005, Family Code, to authorize an adult who had adopted, or is the foster parent of and has petitioned to adopt, a sibling of a child, to file an original suit requesting only an adoption or for termination of the parent-child relationship joined with a petition for adoption.

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.