TITLE: Relating to certain hearings in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.

SUMMARY: Relating to certain hearings in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to certain hearings in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 201.1042, Family Code, is amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: (h) In a de novo hearing before the referring court, the referring court may consider the record from the hearing before the associate judge that is preserved by a means other than by a court reporter if the record was preserved by a means approved by the associate judge under Section 201.009(c) and: (1) the proceeding was not recorded by a court reporter; and (2) a court reporter was not required to be provided under Section 201.009 or any other law. SECTION 2. Section 201.2042, Family Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: (c) In a de novo hearing before the referring court, the referring court may consider the record from the hearing before the associate judge that is preserved by a means other than by a court reporter if the record was preserved by a means approved by the associate judge under Section 201.009(c) and: (1) the proceeding was not recorded by a court reporter; and (2) a court reporter was not required to be provided under Section 201.009 or any other law. SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a de novo hearing in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship requested on or after the effective date of this Act. A de novo hearing requested before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before that date, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.