HBA-JLV, LJP H.B. 593 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 593
By: Goodman
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
2/12/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires certain identification information to be included in
an application for a protective order regarding family violence, the
registration for enforcement of a support order, and a petition for a suit
affecting the parent-child relationship.  In some counties, attorneys are
searching the public records and notifying the respondent in a case of the
existence of a proceeding under the Family Code before the service can be
effected.  As a result, there are concerns that some of the information
required, especially the address, could provide a method for an abusive
spouse to locate the abused spouse.  House Bill 593 removes the requirement
that certain information be included in specified applications and
petitions to protect the location of a party until the court can make a
determination that the party's location should be revealed. 

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 593 amends the Family Code to remove the requirement that
certain information be included in an application for a protective order
regarding family violence, the registration for  enforcement of a support
order, and a petition for a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.
The bill removes the address requirement for an application for a
protective order and registration for enforcement of a support order. The
bill removes the requirement that the sex, age, place of birth, and place
of residence of a child be included in a petition for a suit affecting the
parent-child relationship. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.