Step Parent Adoption

i live in tx. my son's father has made 1 child support payment about 4 years ago, which is also the last time he visited my son. my son is 7 & his father has visited him only a hand full of times. my husband, who has been there since my son's birth would like to adopt. when we last discussed it with the father he refused to consent. i have no idea where he is now or how to contact him.
would my husband be able to adopt without consent from the father?

A couple of questons:
1. how many times within the last year has he seen, sent letters, birthday cards, called or paid any support?
2. Do you have an attorney to handle the adoption?
3. Do you know about where his family is? The father I mean.

Here it is a few suggestions. Get an attorney for all the proper paper work for the adoption. Then since the father is MIA then you can file the papers for the adoption hearing and make sure you advertise in a newspaper that it is going on. This will demonstrate reasonable effort to notify the father. If he reads it and shows then he is required to show cause as to why he has not supported and not contacted any of you especially the 7 year old. If he can PROVE "just cause" then he can fight the adoption, within reason. If not the courts will terminate his rights and his objection won't matter cause your husband will legally be the father with a bio parents responsibiities. Like it is currently, I assume.
But you must make reasonable effort to try to notify him of the adoption proceeding. That is why I asked about his family, if the read it will they get ahold of him? Or if they have seen the boy will they try something on a sibling/ relative basis? It is a just cause hearing and when he does not show then they move into the adoption hearing. Most of the time.
Good hunting...