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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain services and interventions ordered in a suit |
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affecting a parent-child relationship and to certain judicial |
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training requirements. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 153.004, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (f-1) to read as follows: |
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(f-1) The court may not require a party or a child to |
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participate in a service or intervention related to family violence |
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or child abuse or neglect unless: |
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(1) the service or intervention is evidence-based; and |
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(2) there is generally accepted proof of the |
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effectiveness, therapeutic value, and physical and psychological |
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safety of the service or intervention. |
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SECTION 2. Section 153.010(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) If the court finds at the time of a hearing that the |
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parties have a history of conflict in resolving an issue of |
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conservatorship or possession of or access to the child, the court |
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may order a party to: |
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(1) participate in counseling with a mental health |
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professional who: |
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(A) has a background in family therapy; |
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(B) has a mental health license that requires as |
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a minimum a master's degree; and |
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(C) has training in family [domestic] violence or |
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child abuse and neglect if the court determines that the training is |
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relevant to the type of counseling needed; and |
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(2) pay the cost of counseling. |
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SECTION 3. Section 22.011(d), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) The instruction must be evidence-based and include |
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information about: |
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(1) statutory and case law relating to videotaping a |
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child's testimony and relating to competency of children to |
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testify; |
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(2) methods for eliminating the trauma to the child |
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caused by the court process; |
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(3) case law, statutory law, and procedural rules |
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relating to family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of |
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persons, and child abuse; |
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(4) methods for providing protection for victims of |
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family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, or child |
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abuse; |
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(5) available community and state resources for |
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counseling and other aid to victims and to offenders; |
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(6) gender bias in the judicial process; |
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(7) dynamics and effects of being a victim of family |
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violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, or child abuse; |
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[and] |
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(8) issues concerning sex offender characteristics; |
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and |
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(9) methods for evaluating the validity of a service |
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or intervention to address child abuse or neglect or family |
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violence that may be ordered by the court in a suit affecting the |
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parent-child relationship under Title 5, Family Code, to ensure the |
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service or intervention is effective, has therapeutic value, and is |
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physically and psychologically safe. |
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SECTION 4. Section 22.110(d), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) The instruction must be evidence-based and include |
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information about: |
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(1) statutory and case law relating to videotaping a |
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child's testimony and relating to competency of children to |
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testify; |
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(2) methods for eliminating the trauma to the child |
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caused by the court process; |
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(3) case law, statutory law, and procedural rules |
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relating to family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of |
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persons, and child abuse and neglect; |
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(4) methods for providing protection for victims of |
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family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, and child |
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abuse and neglect; |
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(5) available community and state resources for |
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counseling and other aid to victims and to offenders; |
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(6) gender bias in the judicial process; |
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(7) dynamics and effects of being a victim of sexual |
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assault, trafficking of persons, or child abuse and neglect; |
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(8) dynamics of sexual abuse of children, including |
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child abuse accommodation syndrome and grooming; |
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(9) impact of substance abuse on an unborn child and on |
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a person's ability to care for a child; |
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(10) issues of attachment and bonding between children |
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and caregivers; |
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(11) issues of child development that pertain to |
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trafficking of persons and child abuse and neglect; |
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(12) medical findings regarding physical abuse, |
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sexual abuse, trafficking of persons, and child abuse and neglect; |
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[and] |
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(13) dynamics of family violence; and |
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(14) methods for evaluating the validity of a service |
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or intervention to address family violence or child abuse or |
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neglect that may be ordered by the court in a suit affecting the |
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parent-child relationship under Title 5, Family Code, to ensure the |
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service or intervention is effective, has therapeutic value, and is |
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physically and psychologically safe. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter |
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153, Family Code, apply to a suit affecting the parent-child |
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relationship that is pending in a trial court on the effective date |
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of this Act or that is filed on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 6. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Supreme Court of Texas shall adopt the rules |
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necessary to provide the training required under Section 22.011, |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
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(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals shall adopt the rules |
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necessary to provide the training required under Section 22.110, |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |