BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2514

By: Martinez

Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns about a shortage of qualified individuals to perform a child custody evaluation in certain counties in the Rio Grande Valley. H.B. 2514 seeks to address these concerns by expanding the applicability of a provision authorizing a court to appoint a child custody evaluator who does not meet the applicable minimum qualifications if an evaluator who meets those qualifications is unavailable.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2514 amends the Family Code to expand the applicability of a provision authorizing a court in a county with a population of less than 500,000 to appoint a child custody evaluator who does not meet the applicable minimum qualifications if an evaluator who meets those qualifications is not available to include a county that borders the United Mexican States and is contiguous to the Gulf of Mexico or a bay or inlet opening into the gulf and a county that borders such a county. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019