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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the qualifications for an impartial third party in |
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certain civil disputes. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 154.052(b), Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) To qualify for an appointment as an impartial third |
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party under this subchapter in a dispute relating to the |
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parent-child relationship, a person must complete the training |
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required by Subsection (a) and an additional 24 hours of training in |
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the fields of family dynamics, child development, and family law, |
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including a minimum of four hours of family violence dynamics |
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training developed in consultation with a statewide family violence |
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advocacy organization. |
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SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 154.052, Civil Practice |
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and Remedies Code, as amended by this Act, a person who satisfies |
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the qualifications to be an impartial third party in effect |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act is not required to |
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comply with the requirements imposed by that section, as amended by |
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this Act, until January 1, 2018, to be qualified to serve as an |
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impartial third party under Subchapter C, Chapter 154, Civil |
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Practice and Remedies Code, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |