| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to procedures for presenting certain evidence at placement |
|
|
review hearings in suits affecting the parent-child relationship |
|
|
involving the Department of Family and Protective Services. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 263.0021, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
|
|
(e) Notice of a hearing under this chapter provided to an |
|
|
individual listed under Subsection (b)(2) must state that the |
|
|
individual may, but is not required to, present evidence and be |
|
|
heard at the hearing. |
|
|
(f) In a hearing under this chapter, the court shall call an |
|
|
individual listed under Subsection (b)(2) and the individual, at |
|
|
the individual's discretion, may appear at the hearing and present |
|
|
evidence and be heard regardless of whether either party calls the |
|
|
individual to testify. If the individual testifies at the hearing, |
|
|
the individual may be cross-examined by either party. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
|
|
suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed on or after the |
|
|
effective date of this Act. A suit affecting the parent-child |
|
|
relationship filed before the effective date of this Act is |
|
|
governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and the |
|
|
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |