87R9248 MLH-F
 
  By: Dutton H.B. No. 2634
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to standing in a suit affecting the parent-child
  relationship.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 102.003, Family Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 102.003.  GENERAL STANDING TO FILE SUIT. (a)  An
  original suit may be filed at any time by:
               (1)  a parent of the child;
               (2)  the child through a representative authorized by
  the court;
               (3)  a custodian or person having the right of
  visitation with or access to the child appointed by an order of a
  court of another state or country;
               (4)  a guardian of the person or of the estate of the
  child;
               (5)  a governmental entity;
               (6)  the Department of Family and Protective Services;
               (7)  a licensed child placing agency;
               (8)  a man alleging himself to be the father of a child
  filing in accordance with Chapter 160, subject to the limitations
  of that chapter, but not otherwise;
               (9)  a person, other than a foster parent, relative, or
  designated caregiver of a child placed by the Department of Family
  and Protective Services, who has had actual care, control, and
  possession of the child for at least six months ending not more than
  90 days preceding the date of the filing of the petition;
               (10)  a person designated as the managing conservator
  in a revoked or unrevoked affidavit of relinquishment under Chapter
  161 or to whom consent to adoption has been given in writing under
  Chapter 162;
               (11)  [a person with whom the child and the child's
  guardian, managing conservator, or parent have resided for at least
  six months ending not more than 90 days preceding the date of the
  filing of the petition if the child's guardian, managing
  conservator, or parent is deceased at the time of the filing of the
  petition;
               [(12)] a person who is the foster parent, relative, or
  designated caregiver of a child placed by the Department of Family
  and Protective Services in the person's home for at least 12 months
  ending not more than 90 days preceding the date of the filing of the
  petition, unless:
                     (A)  the child has been returned to the parent
  under Section 263.403; or
                     (B)  the child has been placed with a parent and
  the suit by the Department of Family and Protective Services has
  been dismissed under Section 263.401;
               (12) [(13)]  a person who is a relative of the child
  within the fourth [third] degree by consanguinity, as determined by
  Chapter 573, Government Code, if the child's parents are deceased
  at the time of the filing of the petition;
               (13) [(14)]  a person who has been named as a
  prospective adoptive parent of a child by a pregnant woman or the
  parent of the child, in a verified written statement to confer
  standing executed under Section 102.0035, regardless of whether the
  child has been born; or
               (14) [(15)]  subject to Subsection (d), a person who is
  an intended parent of a child or unborn child under a gestational
  agreement that complies with the requirements of Section 160.754.
         (b)  In computing the time necessary for standing under
  Subsections (a)(9) and [,] (11), [and (12),] the court may not
  require that the time be continuous and uninterrupted but shall
  consider the child's principal residence during the relevant time
  preceding the date of commencement of the suit.
         (c)  Notwithstanding the time requirements of Subsection
  (a)(11) [(a)(12)], a person who is the foster parent of a child may
  file a suit to adopt a child for whom the person is providing foster
  care at any time after the person has been approved to adopt the
  child. The standing to file suit under this subsection applies only
  to the adoption of a child who is eligible to be adopted.
         (d)  A person described by Subsection (a)(14) [(a)(15)] has
  standing to file an original suit only if:
               (1)  the person is filing an original suit jointly with
  the other intended parent under the gestational agreement; or
               (2)  the person is filing an original suit against the
  other intended parent under the gestational agreement.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 102.0035(a) and (e), Family Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A pregnant woman or a parent of a child may execute a
  statement to confer standing to a prospective adoptive parent as
  provided by this section to assert standing under Section
  102.003(a)(13) [102.003(a)(14)]. A statement to confer standing
  under this section may not be executed in a suit brought by a
  governmental entity under Chapter 262 or 263.
         (e)  A statement to confer standing is not required in a suit
  brought by a person who has standing to file a suit affecting the
  parent-child relationship under Sections 102.003(a)(1)-(12) and
  (14) [102.003(a)(1)-(13)] or any other law under which the person
  has standing to file a suit.
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 102.004, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 102.004.  STANDING FOR CERTAIN RELATIVES AND
  [GRANDPARENT OR] OTHER PERSONS [PERSON].
         SECTION 4.  Section 102.004, Family Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (b), and (b-1) and adding Subsections
  (b-2) and (b-3) to read as follows:
         (a)  In addition to the general standing to file suit
  provided by Section 102.003, a grandparent, or another relative of
  the child related within the fourth [third] degree by
  consanguinity, may file an original suit requesting managing
  conservatorship if there is satisfactory proof to the court that:
               (1)  the order requested is necessary because the
  child's present circumstances would significantly impair the
  child's physical health or emotional development; or
               (2)  both parents, the surviving parent, or the
  managing conservator or custodian either filed the petition or
  consented to the suit.
         (b)  An original suit requesting possessory conservatorship
  may not be filed by a grandparent or other relative or person.
  However, [the court may grant] a grandparent or other relative or
  person may intervene in a pending suit under Subsection (b-1) or
  (b-2), as applicable.
         (b-1)  A grandparent or other relative of the child within
  the fourth degree of consanguinity may intervene in a pending suit
  filed by a person authorized to do so under this chapter if there is
  satisfactory proof to the court that appointment of a parent as a
  sole managing conservator or both parents as joint managing
  conservators would significantly impair the child's physical
  health or emotional development.
         (b-2)  The court may grant a person, other than a grandparent
  or other relative of the child within the fourth degree of
  consanguinity, subject to the requirements of Subsection (b-3)
  [(b-1)] if applicable, deemed by the court to have had substantial
  past contact with the child leave to intervene in a pending suit
  filed by a person authorized to do so under this chapter if there is
  satisfactory proof to the court that appointment of a parent as a
  sole managing conservator or both parents as joint managing
  conservators would significantly impair the child's physical
  health or emotional development. The court may not grant the
  Department of Family and Protective Services leave to intervene
  under this subsection unless each parent consents to the
  intervention.
         (b-3) [(b-1)]  A foster parent may only be granted leave to
  intervene under Subsection (b-2) [(b)] if the foster parent would
  have standing to file an original suit as provided by Section
  102.003(a)(11) [102.003(a)(12)].
         SECTION 5.  Section 102.005, Family Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 102.005.  STANDING TO REQUEST TERMINATION AND ADOPTION.
  An original suit requesting only an adoption or for termination of
  the parent-child relationship joined with a petition for adoption
  may be filed by:
               (1)  a stepparent of the child;
               (2)  an adult who, as the result of a placement for
  adoption, has had actual possession and control of the child at any
  time during the 30-day period preceding the filing of the petition;
  or
               (3)  [an adult who has had actual possession and
  control of the child for not less than two months during the
  three-month period preceding the filing of the petition;
               [(4)] an adult who has adopted, or is the foster parent
  of and has petitioned to adopt, a sibling of the child[; or
               [(5) another adult whom the court determines to have had
  substantial past contact with the child sufficient to warrant
  standing to do so].
         SECTION 6.  Section 102.006(c), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  The limitations on filing suit imposed by this section
  do not apply to a relative within the third degree of consanguinity
  of a former parent whose parent-child relationship with the child
  has been terminated by court order [an adult sibling of the child, a
  grandparent of the child, an aunt who is a sister of a parent of the
  child, or an uncle who is a brother of a parent of the child] if the
  relative [adult sibling, grandparent, aunt, or uncle] files an
  original suit or a suit for modification requesting managing
  conservatorship of the child not later than the 90th day after the
  date the parent-child relationship between the child and the parent
  is terminated in a suit filed by the Department of Family and
  Protective Services requesting the termination of the parent-child
  relationship.
         SECTION 7.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only 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 that date is governed by the law in effect
  on the date the suit was filed, and that law is continued in effect
  for that purpose.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.