BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 494

By: Zerwas

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Chapter 161, Family Code, provides for the termination of the parent-child relationship, effectively ending the relationship between the parent and child.

Section 161.001, Family Code, provides the general grounds for involuntary termination of the parent-child relationship, including parental behavior such as felony assault of a child or sibling, failure to provide support, abuse or neglect of a child, abandonment or extreme parental disinterest, and conviction of a parent for the murder of the other parent of a child. 

H.B. 494 allows the court to terminate parental rights if an individual is convicted of attempted murder of the other parent or for the solicitation of murder of the other parent. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 494 amends the Family Code to add to the behaviors or activities of a parent for which a court is authorized to terminate the parent-child relationship the parent's conviction of criminal attempt of the murder of the other parent of the child or criminal solicitation for the murder of the other parent of the child under Texas law or the law of another state, federal law, the law of a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice that contains elements substantially similar to the elements of criminal attempted murder or criminal solicitation for murder. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.