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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to suits affecting the parent-child relationship filed by |
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the Department of Family and Protective Services without taking |
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possession of the child. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 262.201(e), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) The court may, for good cause shown, postpone the full |
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adversary hearing for not more than seven days from the date of the |
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attorney's appointment to provide the attorney time to respond to |
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the petition and prepare for the hearing. The court may shorten or |
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lengthen the extension granted under this subsection if the parent |
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and the appointed attorney agree in writing. If the court postpones |
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the full adversary hearing, the court shall extend a temporary |
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order, temporary restraining order, or attachment issued by the |
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court under Section 262.102(a) [or Section 262.1131] for the |
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protection of the child until the date of the rescheduled full |
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adversary hearing. |
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SECTION 2. The following provisions of the Family Code are |
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repealed: |
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(1) Section 262.113; |
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(2) Section 262.1131; and |
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(3) Sections 262.201(b) and (j). |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a suit filed by the Department of Family and Protective Services on |
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or after the effective date of this Act. A suit filed by the |
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department before that date is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the suit was filed, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |