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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to disclosure in certain suits affecting the parent-child |
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relationship of a child's interaction with a registered sex |
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offender. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 153, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 153.017 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 153.017. DISCLOSURE OF CHILD'S INTERACTION WITH |
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REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER. (a) In this section, "registered sex |
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offender" means a person required to register as a sex offender |
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under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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(b) Before a court may render an order that provides for the |
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conservatorship of, possession of, or access to a child, the court |
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must order each party to disclose to the court whether the party has |
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knowledge of a previous pattern of interaction between a registered |
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sex offender and the child and whether the party believes that there |
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is a reasonable probability of interaction between a registered sex |
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offender and the child in the future. If a party makes a disclosure |
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under this section indicating previous interaction or a reasonable |
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probability of future interaction between the child and a |
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registered sex offender, the court shall include in the order any |
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terms the court finds necessary to protect the child's health or |
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welfare. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 156, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 156.107 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 156.107. DISCLOSURE OF CHILD'S INTERACTION WITH |
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REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER. (a) In this section, "registered sex |
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offender" means a person required to register as a sex offender |
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under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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(b) Before a court may modify an order that provides for the |
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conservatorship of, possession of, or access to a child, the court |
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must order each party to disclose to the court whether the party has |
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knowledge of a previous pattern of interaction between a registered |
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sex offender and the child and whether the party believes that there |
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is a reasonable probability of interaction between a registered sex |
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offender and the child in the future. If a party makes a disclosure |
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under this section indicating previous interaction or a reasonable |
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probability of future interaction between the child and a |
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registered sex offender, the court shall modify the order to |
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include any terms the court finds necessary to protect the child's |
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health or welfare. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is pending in a |
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trial court on the effective date of this Act or filed on or after |
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that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |