BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1838

                                                                                                                                 By: Patrick, Dan

                                                                                                                                      Jurisprudence

                                                                                                                                              6/8/2009

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under current law, the Family Code does not address the issue of parental rights when one parent commits the crime of criminal solicitation of murder against the child's other parent. 

 

S.B. 1838 amends current law relating to involuntary termination of parental rights based on attempted murder or solicitation of murder of the child's other parent.

 

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 161.001, Family Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 161.001. INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP.  Authorizes the court to order termination of the parent-child relationship if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the parent has been convicted of, among other things, criminal attempt under Section 15.01 (Criminal Attempt), Penal Code, or under a law of another state, federal law, the law of a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice that contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense under Section 15.01, Penal Code, to commit the offense described by Subparagraph (i) (relating to the murder of the other parent of the child under certain laws) or criminal solicitation under Section 15.03 (Criminal Solicitation), Penal Code, or under a law of another state, federal law, the law of a foreign country, of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense under Section 15.03, Penal Code, of the offense described by Subparagraph (i).

 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2009.