BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2924

By: Dutton

Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, a court may terminate a parent's parental rights to a child solely because that parent's parental rights were previously terminated with respect to another child for certain conduct involving endangerment of the child's well-being. This penalizes parents who have made strides to turn their life around and become a better parent. H.B. 2924 seeks to ensure parents are not penalized for certain past mistakes by removing this as a ground for involuntarily terminating the parent-child relationship.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2924 amends the Family Code to remove as grounds for a court to order the involuntary termination of the parent-child relationship a finding by clear and convincing evidence that a parent has had their parent-child relationship terminated with respect to another child based on a finding that the parent engaged in the following conduct in violation of Texas law or  substantially equivalent provisions of the law of another state:

·         knowingly placed or knowingly allowed the child to remain in conditions or surroundings which endanger the child's physical or emotional well-being; or

·         engaged in conduct or knowingly placed the child with persons who engage in conduct which endangers the child's physical or emotional well-being.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.