By: Ortega, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Rodríguez)	H.B. No. 1410
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2017;
	May 10, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on State
	Affairs; May 15, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
	Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 15, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the ability of foster parents to intervene in certain
	suits affecting the parent-child relationship.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 102.004, Family Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
	follows:
	(b)  An original suit requesting possessory conservatorship
	may not be filed by a grandparent or other person.  However, the
	court may grant a grandparent or other person, subject to the
	requirements of Subsection (b-1) if applicable, deemed by the court
	to have had substantial past contact with the child leave to
	intervene in a pending suit filed by a person authorized to do so
	under this chapter [subchapter] if there is satisfactory proof to
	the court that appointment of a parent as a sole managing
	conservator or both parents as joint managing conservators would
	significantly impair the child's physical health or emotional
	development.
	(b-1)  A foster parent may only be granted leave to intervene
	under Subsection (b) if the foster parent would have standing to
	file an original suit as provided by Section 102.003(a)(12).
	SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
	an original suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed on
	or after the effective date of this Act. An original suit affecting
	the parent-child relationship filed before the effective date of
	this Act is subject to the law in effect at the time the suit was
	filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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