Bill > HB116

This bill modifies the Texas Family Code to expand the grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights and clarify child support obligations. Specifically, the bill updates Section 154.001 and Section 161.001 to include additional circumstances under which a court may terminate a parent's rights, such as criminal convictions related to sexual offenses, murder of the other parent, child solicitation, and certain forms of child endangerment. The bill adds new provisions that allow termination of parental rights if a parent has been convicted of or placed on community supervision for serious criminal offenses involving the other parent or child, including sexual assault, murder, and online solicitation of a minor. The changes also modify the existing list of grounds for termination, such as abandonment, failure to support the child, and engaging in conduct that endangers the child's physical or emotional well-being. The bill will apply to both pending and future suits affecting the parent-child relationship and is set to take effect on September 1, 2025. The key purpose is to provide courts with more comprehensive criteria for protecting children from potentially harmful parental situations by expanding the legal grounds for terminating parental rights.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB116