HBA-DMD H.B. 589 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 589
By: West, George
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
2/10/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current Texas law provides for a 48-hour postpartum waiting period before a
parent can relinquish their parental rights.  On occasion, the current
mandatory 48-hour waiting period leads to child abandonment by uninsured
mothers discharged before the expiration of the waiting period.  H.B. 589
allows a parent to relinquish their parental rights 24 hours after birth. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 161.103(a), Family Code, to decrease the amount
of time that a person must wait to sign an affidavit for voluntary
relinquishment of parental rights, from 48 hours to 24 hours. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.