HB 1534

AN ACT relating to procedures in certain suits affecting the parent-child

House Bill • Campos | Garcia, Josey

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

In Committee

Hearing Scheduled

Passed Committee

Floor Calendar

Passed Chamber

Sent to Other Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Sent to Governor

Signed into Law

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

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Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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What This Bill Does

Requires Texas courts to confirm that the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) properly informed alleged perpetrators of their rights before interviewing them in child protection cases. If DFPS fails to provide full rights notifications, any evidence gathered from the alleged perpetrator may be inadmissible in the full adversary hearing, with an exception if excluding the evidence would significantly harm the child's physical or emotional well-being. The law applies to parent-child relationship suits filed on or after September 1, 2025.

Subject Areas

FAMILY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF Family--Child Protection Family--Parent & Child Courts--General EVIDENCE

Bill Text

relating to procedures in certain suits affecting the parent-child
relationship filed by the Department of Family and Protective
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 262, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 262.2011 to read as follows:
Sec. 262.2011.  CONFIRMATION OF REQUIRED NOTICE PROVIDED.
(a)  Before commencement of the full adversary hearing, the court
shall, in writing and in open court, confirm that:
(1)  before interviewing an alleged perpetrator, the
Department of Family and Protective Services informed the person of
(A)  create an audio or video recording of the
interview under Section 261.3027; and
(B)  request an administrative review of the
Department of Family and Protective Services' findings under
(2)  as soon as possible after initiating an
investigation of a parent or other person having legal custody of a
child, the Department of Family and Protective Services provided
the person with the information required by Section 261.307.
(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), if the court
determines that an alleged perpetrator was not fully informed of
the person's rights described by Subsection (a)(1) or provided the
information described by Subsection (a)(2), the court may not
consider in the full adversary hearing any evidence gathered from
or provided by the alleged perpetrator during the investigation or
(c)  The court may consider evidence that would be
inadmissible under Subsection (b) if the court has good cause to
believe that excluding that evidence would significantly impair the
child's physical health or emotional development.
SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is filed on or
after the effective date of this Act.  A suit filed before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
date that the suit is filed, and the former law is continued in
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.