HBA-BSM H.B. 3403 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3403
By: King, Tracy
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
7/26/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Child custody and visitation rights can be a contentious issue between
divorced parents.  According to the National Legal Research Group, it is
estimated that the access of more than six million children to a
noncustodial parent was interfered with by the custodial parent in 1993.
Visitation centers and visitation exchange centers can help facilitate the
terms of court ordered child custody, assure a child's access to both
parents and their extended families, and provide a neutral ground where
parents can exchange custody of children without subjecting the child to
hostilities between the parents.  House Bill 3403 authorizes a county to
establish visitation centers and visitation exchange facilities to enable
parental access to children. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3403 amends the Family Code to authorize a county to establish a
visitation center or a visitation exchange facility for the purpose of
facilitating the terms of a court order providing for the possession of or
access to a child 

EFFECTIVE DATE

June 11, 2001.