TITLE: Relating to the postponement of certain hearings in suits affecting the parent-child relationship involving the Department of Family and Protective Services.

SUMMARY: Relating to the postponement of certain hearings in suits affecting the parent-child relationship involving the Department of Family and Protective Services.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the postponement of certain hearings in suits affecting the parent-child relationship involving the Department of Family and Protective Services. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 262.201, Family Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-5) to read as follows: (a-5) If a parent who is not indigent appears in opposition to the suit, the court may, for good cause shown, postpone the full adversary hearing for not more than seven days from the date of the parent's appearance to allow the parent to hire an attorney or to provide the parent's attorney time to respond to the petition and prepare for the hearing. A postponement under this subsection is subject to the limits and requirements prescribed by Subsection (a-3). SECTION 2. 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 that the suit was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.