Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES/Child Custody
77 th Texas Legislature
Parental Rights Limited for Child Abusers - S.B. 140
by Senator Moncrief, et al.
House Sponsor: Representative Naishtat
Current law precludes the appointment of persons with a history or pattern of abuse as joint managing
conservators, but does not provide the court direction regarding decisions about sole managing
conservatorship, conservators with the exclusive right to determine the primary residence of a child, or
visitation rights.
Creates a rebuttable presumption that it is not in the best interest of a child to appoint a parent as the sole
managing conservator or as conservator with exclusive right to determine the primary residence of a child if
the parent has a history or pattern of abuse or child neglect.
Creates a rebuttable presumption that it is not in the best interest of the child to give a parent unsupervised
visitation if the parent has a history or pattern of abuse or child neglect.
Drivers or Professional License Taken Away for Impeding Visitation - S.B. 700
by Senator Ellis
House Sponsor: Representative Sylvester Turner
Authorizes the suspension of a license of an individual who has failed to comply with the terms of a court
order providing for the possession of or access to a child.
Sets forth information which must be contained in a petition seeking such license suspension and makes
other conforming changes in the Texas Family Code.
Notice of the Right to Modify a Child Custody Order - S.B. 769
by Senator Harris
House Sponsors: Representatives Arthur Reyna and Menendez
Currently, when a court issues an order regarding custody of a child, the noncustodial parent does not have
to be informed of the noncustodial parent's right to file for modification of that order.
Requires a custody order to inform the noncustodial parent of the parent's right to modification and list the
grounds for modification.
Child Custody Issues - H.B. 596
by Representative Goodman
Senate Sponsor: Senator West
Makes 12 years of age, rather than 10, the age at which a child may choose a managing conservator.
Provides a uniform standard for modification of conservatorship, possession and access, or determination
for residence.
Authorizes the court to allocate increased expenses resulting from a change of residence on a fair and
equitable basis, taking into account the cause of the increased expenses and the best interest of the child.
Senate Research Center 110