By: West S.B. No. 999

(In the Senate - Filed February 21, 2017; March 6, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human Services; April 24, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 24, 2017, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 999 By: Uresti

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to procedures for taking possession of a child and for certain hearings in a suit 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 262.101, Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 262.101. FILING PETITION BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION OF CHILD. An original suit filed by a governmental entity that requests permission to take possession of a child without prior notice and a hearing must be supported by an affidavit sworn to by a person with personal knowledge and stating facts sufficient to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that:

(1) there is an immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the child or the child has been a victim of neglect or sexual abuse;

(2) [and that] continuation in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare;

(3) [(2)] there is no time, consistent with the physical health or safety of the child, for a full adversary hearing under Subchapter C; and

(4) [(3)] reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to prevent or eliminate the need for the removal of the child.

SECTION 2. Section 262.1015(d), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) A temporary restraining order under this section expires not later than the 14th day after the date the order was rendered, unless the court grants an extension under Section 262.201(e) [262.201(a-3)].

SECTION 3. Section 262.102(a), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Before a court may, without prior notice and a hearing, issue a temporary order for the conservatorship of a child under Section 105.001(a)(1) or a temporary restraining order or attachment of a child authorizing a governmental entity to take possession of a child in a suit brought by a governmental entity, the court must find that:

(1) there is an immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the child or the child has been a victim of neglect or sexual abuse;

(2) [and that] continuation in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare;

(3) [(2)] there is no time, consistent with the physical health or safety of the child and the nature of the emergency, for a full adversary hearing under Subchapter C; and

(4) [(3)] reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child.

SECTION 4. Section 262.103, Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 262.103. DURATION OF TEMPORARY ORDER, TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, AND ATTACHMENT. A temporary order, temporary restraining order, or attachment of the child issued under Section 262.102(a) expires not later than 14 days after the date it is issued unless it is extended as provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure or Section 262.201(e) [262.201(a-3)].

SECTION 5. Section 262.105, Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 262.105. FILING PETITION AFTER TAKING POSSESSION OF CHILD IN EMERGENCY. (a) When a child is taken into possession without a court order, the person taking the child into possession, without unnecessary delay, shall:

(1) file a suit affecting the parent-child relationship; and

(2) [request the court to appoint an attorney ad litem for the child; and

[(3)] request an initial hearing to be held by no later than the first business [working] day after the date the child is taken into possession.

(b) An original suit filed by a governmental entity after taking possession of a child under Section 262.104 must be supported by an affidavit stating facts sufficient to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that:

(1) based on the affiant's personal knowledge or on information furnished by another person corroborated by the affiant's personal knowledge, one of the following circumstances existed at the time the child was taken into possession:

(A) there was an immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the child;

(B) the child was the victim of sexual abuse or of trafficking under Section 20A.02 or 20A.03, Penal Code;

(C) the parent or person who had possession of the child was using a controlled substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, and the use constituted an immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the child; or

(D) the parent or person who had possession of the child permitted the child to remain on premises used for the manufacture of methamphetamine; and

(2) based on the affiant's personal knowledge:

(A) continuation of the child in the home would have been contrary to the child's welfare;

(B) there was no time, consistent with the physical health or safety of the child, for a full adversary hearing under Subchapter C; and

(C) reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to prevent or eliminate the need for the removal of the child.

SECTION 6. Sections 262.106(a) and (d), Family Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The court in which a suit has been filed after a child has been taken into possession without a court order by a governmental entity shall hold an initial hearing on or before the first business [working] day after the date the child is taken into possession. The court shall render orders that are necessary to protect the physical health and safety of the child. If the court is unavailable for a hearing on the first business [working] day, then, and only in that event, the hearing shall be held no later than the first business [working] day after the court becomes available, provided that the hearing is held no later than the third business [working] day after the child is taken into possession.

(d) For the purpose of determining under Subsection (a) the first business [working] day after the date the child is taken into possession, the child is considered to have been taken into possession by the Department of Family and Protective Services on the expiration of the five-day period permitted under Section 262.007(c) or 262.110(b), as appropriate.

SECTION 7. Section 262.107(a), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The court shall order the return of the child at the initial hearing regarding a child taken in possession without a court order by a governmental entity unless the court is satisfied that:

(1) the evidence shows that one of the following circumstances exists:

(A) there is a continuing danger to the physical health or safety of the child if the child is returned to the parent, managing conservator, possessory conservator, guardian, caretaker, or custodian who is presently entitled to possession of the child;

(B) [or the evidence shows that] the child has been the victim of sexual abuse or of trafficking under Section 20A.02 or 20A.03, Penal Code, on one or more occasions and that there is a substantial risk that the child will be the victim of sexual abuse or of trafficking in the future;

(C) the parent or person who has possession of the child is currently using a controlled substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, and the use constitutes an immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the child; or

(D) the parent or person who has possession of the child has permitted the child to remain on premises used for the manufacture of methamphetamine;

(2) continuation of the child in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare; and

(3) reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child.

SECTION 8. Section 262.109(b), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The written notice must be given as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than the first business [working] day after the date the child is taken into possession.

SECTION 9. Subchapter B, Chapter 262, Family Code, is amended by adding Section 262.1131 to read as follows:

Sec. 262.1131. TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER BEFORE FULL ADVERSARY HEARING. In a suit filed under Section 262.113, the court may render a temporary restraining order as provided by Section 105.001.

SECTION 10. Section 262.201, Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 262.201. FULL ADVERSARY HEARING; FINDINGS OF THE COURT. (a) In a suit filed under Section 262.101 or 262.105, unless [Unless] the child has already been returned to the parent, managing conservator, possessory conservator, guardian, caretaker, or custodian entitled to possession and the temporary order, if any, has been dissolved, a full adversary hearing shall be held not later than the 14th day after the date the child was taken into possession by the governmental entity, unless the court grants an extension under Subsection (e) [(a-3)].

(b) A full adversary hearing in a suit filed under Section 262.113 requesting possession of a child shall be held not later than the 30th day after the date the suit is filed.

(c) [(a-1)] Before commencement of the full adversary hearing, the court must inform each parent not represented by an attorney of:

(1) the right to be represented by an attorney; and

(2) if a parent is indigent and appears in opposition to the suit, the right to a court-appointed attorney.

(d) [(a-2)] If a parent claims indigence and requests the appointment of an attorney before the full adversary hearing, the court shall require the parent to complete and file with the court an affidavit of indigence. The court may consider additional evidence to determine whether the parent is indigent, including evidence relating to the parent's income, source of income, assets, property ownership, benefits paid in accordance with a federal, state, or local public assistance program, outstanding obligations, and necessary expenses and the number and ages of the parent's dependents. If the appointment of an attorney for the parent is requested, the court shall make a determination of indigence before commencement of the full adversary hearing. If the court determines the parent is indigent, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the parent.

(e) [(a-3)] The court may, for good cause shown, postpone the full adversary hearing for not more than seven days from the date of the attorney's appointment to provide the attorney time to respond to the petition and prepare for the hearing. The court may shorten or lengthen the extension granted under this subsection if the parent and the appointed attorney agree in writing. If the court postpones the full adversary hearing, the court shall extend a temporary order, temporary restraining order, or attachment issued by the court under Section 262.102(a) or Section 262.1131 for the protection of the child until the date of the rescheduled full adversary hearing.

(f) [(a-4)] The court shall ask all parties present at the full adversary hearing whether the child or the child's family has a Native American heritage and identify any Native American tribe with which the child may be associated.

(g) In a suit filed under Section 262.101 or 262.105, at [(b) At] the conclusion of the full adversary hearing, the court shall order the return of the child to the parent, managing conservator, possessory conservator, guardian, caretaker, or custodian entitled to possession unless the court finds sufficient evidence to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that:

(1) there was a danger to the physical health or safety of the child, including a danger that the child would be a victim of trafficking under Section 20A.02 or 20A.03, Penal Code, which was caused by an act or failure to act of the person entitled to possession and for the child to remain in the home is contrary to the welfare of the child;

(2) the urgent need for protection required the immediate removal of the child and reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to eliminate or prevent the child's removal; and

(3) reasonable efforts have been made to enable the child to return home, but there is a substantial risk of a continuing danger if the child is returned home.

(h) In a suit filed under Section 262.101 or 262.105, if [(c) If] the court finds sufficient evidence to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that there is a continuing danger to the physical health or safety of the child and for the child to remain in the home is contrary to the welfare of the child, the court shall issue an appropriate temporary order under Chapter 105.

(i) In determining whether there is a continuing danger to the physical health or safety of the child under Subsection (g), the court may consider whether the household to which the child would be returned includes a person who:

(1) has abused or neglected another child in a manner that caused serious injury to or the death of the other child; or

(2) has sexually abused another child.

(j) In a suit filed under Section 262.113, at the conclusion of the full adversary hearing, the court shall issue an appropriate temporary order under Chapter 105 if the court finds sufficient evidence to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that:

(1) there is a continuing danger to the physical health or safety of the child caused by an act or failure to act of the person entitled to possession of the child and continuation of the child in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare; and

(2) reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to prevent or eliminate the need for the removal of the child.

(k) If the court finds that the child requires protection from family violence, as that term is defined by Section 71.004, by a member of the child's family or household, the court shall render a protective order for the child under Title 4.

(l) The court shall require each parent, alleged father, or relative of the child before the court to complete the proposed child placement resources form provided under Section 261.307 and file the form with the court, if the form has not been previously filed with the court, and provide the Department of Family and Protective Services with information necessary to locate any other absent parent, alleged father, or relative of the child. The court shall inform each parent, alleged father, or relative of the child before the court that the person's failure to submit the proposed child placement resources form will not delay any court proceedings relating to the child.

(m) The court shall inform each parent in open court that parental and custodial rights and duties may be subject to restriction or to termination unless the parent or parents are willing and able to provide the child with a safe environment. [If the court finds that the child requires protection from family violence by a member of the child's family or household, the court shall render a protective order under Title 4 for the child. In this subsection, "family violence" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.004.

[(d) In determining whether there is a continuing danger to the physical health or safety of the child, the court may consider whether the household to which the child would be returned includes a person who:

[(1) has abused or neglected another child in a manner that caused serious injury to or the death of the other child; or

[(2) has sexually abused another child.]

(n) [(e)] The court shall place a child removed from the child's custodial parent with the child's noncustodial parent unless the court finds that:

(1) there is a danger to the physical health or safety of the child caused by an act or failure to act of the child's noncustodial parent and placement of the child with the child's noncustodial parent would be contrary to the child's welfare;

(2) reasonable efforts, consistent with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to place the child with the child's noncustodial parent; and

(3) it is not in the best interest of the child to be placed with the child's noncustodial parent.

(o) If [or with a relative of the child if] placement with the noncustodial parent is inappropriate, the court shall place a child removed from the child's custodial parent with a relative of the child unless placement with [the noncustodial parent or] a relative is not in the best interest of the child.

(p) [(f)] When citation by publication is needed for a parent or alleged or probable father in an action brought under this chapter because the location of the parent, alleged father, or probable father is unknown, the court may render a temporary order without delay at any time after the filing of the action without regard to whether notice of the citation by publication has been published.

(q) [(g)] For the purpose of determining under Subsection (a) the 14th day after the date the child is taken into possession, a child is considered to have been taken into possession by the Department of Family and Protective Services on the expiration of the five-day period permitted under Section 262.007(c) or 262.110(b), as appropriate.

SECTION 11. Section 262.205, Family Code, is repealed.

SECTION 12. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A suit filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the suit is filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 13. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

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