By: Zaffirini  S.B. No. 885
         (In the Senate - Filed February 13, 2023; March 1, 2023,
  read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
  March 23, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; March 23, 2023,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 885 By:  Zaffirini
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the grounds for terminating and reinstating a person's
  parental rights and the adoption of certain children.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 161.001, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  If a parent has had a protective order issued against
  the parent under Chapter 85 and the court issuing the protective
  order made a finding under Section 85.025(a-1)(1) that the parent
  committed an act constituting an offense involving family violence,
  the court may order termination of the parent-child relationship if
  the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that:
               (1)  the parent committed an act constituting an
  offense listed under Subsection (b)(1)(L); and
               (2)  termination is in the best interest of the child.
         (b-2)  In determining whether to order termination under
  Subsection (b-1), the court may consider any evidence offered in
  the hearing under Subtitle B, Title 4, that resulted in the court
  issuing the protective order.
         SECTION 2.  Section 161.302(b), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  Except as provided by Section 161.305, a [A] petition
  for the reinstatement of parental rights may be filed under this
  subchapter only if:
               (1)  the termination of parental rights resulted from a
  suit filed by the department;
               (2)  at least two years have passed since the issuance
  of the order terminating the former parent's parental rights and an
  appeal of the order is not pending;
               (3)  the child has not been adopted;
               (4)  the child is not the subject of an adoption
  placement agreement; and
               (5)  the petitioner has provided the notice required by
  Subsection (d), if the petitioner is the former parent whose
  parental rights are sought to be reinstated.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 161, Family Code, is
  amended by adding Section 161.305 to read as follows:
         Sec. 161.305.  CERTAIN PETITIONS FOR REINSTATEMENT. (a) A
  former parent whose parental rights have been terminated under
  Section 161.001(b-1) may file a petition under this subchapter to
  reinstate the former parent's parental rights.
         (b)  The court shall grant a petition under this section
  without a hearing and order the reinstatement of the former
  parent's parental rights if the petition demonstrates that the act
  upon which the decision to terminate the former parent's parental
  rights is based did not result in the former parent being criminally
  adjudicated in the manner required for termination under Section
  161.001(b)(1)(L).
         SECTION 4.  Section 162.001, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
         (d)  The child of a parent whose parental rights have been
  terminated under Section 161.001(b-1) may not be adopted unless the
  parent has subsequently been criminally adjudicated in the manner
  required by Section 161.001(b)(1)(L) for the act upon which the
  decision to terminate the parent's parental rights is based.
         SECTION 5.  The change in law made by this Act applies 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 the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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