By: Castro (Senate Sponsor - Uresti) H.B. No. 1481
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2007;
  May 15, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Jurisprudence; May 17, 2007, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 17, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to standing for certain individuals to file a suit
  affecting the parent-child relationship.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 102.006, Family Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (b) and
  (c), if the parent-child relationship between the child and every
  living parent of the child has been terminated, an original suit may
  not be filed by:
               (1)  a former parent whose parent-child relationship
  with the child has been terminated by court order;
               (2)  the father of the child; or
               (3)  a family member or relative by blood, adoption, or
  marriage of either a former parent whose parent-child relationship
  has been terminated or of the father of the child.
         (c)  The limitations on filing suit imposed by this section
  do not apply to an adult sibling of the child, a grandparent of the
  child, an aunt who is a sister of a parent of the child, or an uncle
  who is a brother of a parent of the child if the adult sibling,
  grandparent, aunt, or uncle files an original suit or a suit for
  modification requesting managing conservatorship of the child not
  later than the 90th day after the date the parent-child
  relationship between the child and the parent is terminated in a
  suit filed by the Department of Family and Protective Services
  requesting the termination of the parent-child relationship.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2007.
 
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