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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the time for rendering a final order in certain suits |
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affecting the parent-child relationship involving the Department |
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of Family and Protective Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 263, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 263.4011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 263.4011. RENDERING FINAL ORDER; EXTENSION. (a) On |
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timely commencement of the trial on the merits under Section |
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263.401, the court shall render a final order not later than the |
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90th day after the date the trial commences. |
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(b) The 90-day period for rendering a final order under |
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Subsection (a) is not tolled for any recess during the trial. |
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(c) If the court finds that extraordinary circumstances |
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necessitate extending the 90-day period under Subsection (a), the |
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court may grant one extension of that date for not longer than 30 |
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days. The court shall render a written order: |
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(1) specifying the grounds on which the extension is |
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granted; and |
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(2) requiring a final order to be rendered not later |
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than the 30th day after the date the extension is granted. |
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(d) A party may file a mandamus proceeding if the court |
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fails to render a final order within the time required by this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 263.4011, Family Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies only to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship |
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filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A suit affecting |
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the parent-child relationship filed before that date is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |