Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to protect people and bring that to our attention.
• There should be a way to fix that so that protection is still upheld.
• I just wanted to protect people and bring that to our attention.
• There should be a way to fix that so that protection is still upheld.
• This bill builds upon existing protections to address these modern risks.

Bills: SB5837, SB6011, SB6009, SB5868, SB5974, SB5720, SB5833, SB5936, SB5993, SB6070, SB6002, SJM8014, SB6086

Keywords: guardianship, conservatorship, protective arrangement, protective arrangements, supported decision-making, supported decision making, court visitor, adult guardianship, limited guardianship, full guardianship, adult conservatorship, less restrictive alternative, capacity, legal capacity, respondent rights, due process, vulnerable adults, disability rights, elder abuse, estate management

Summary: The Law and Justice Committee met on January 22 and first took up a series of bills in executive session, hearing staff descriptions of amendments and proposed substitutes on measures dealing with guardianship, consumer debt judgments, medical debt interest, human trafficking, missing persons, driver privacy, and law enforcement/sheriff-related issues. Members generally asked few questions during the briefing stage, but several bills drew substantive debate during final action, especially Senate Bill 5974 on sheriffs and law enforcement volunteers, Senate Bill 5993 on medical debt interest, Senate Bill 6070 on missing persons alerts and investigative tools, and Senate Bill 6002 on ALPR data and privacy protections. The committee also considered Senate Bill 5837 on guardianship, Senate Bill 6011, Senate Bill 6009, Senate Bill 5868, Senate Bill 5720, and Senate Bill 5936, with multiple amendments and substitutes discussed and adopted or withdrawn. In executive action, the committee adopted proposed substitutes for SB 5837, SB 6009, SB 5720, SB 5833, SB 5936, SB 5993, SB 6070, and SB 6002, and sent those bills forward with due pass recommendations, most to the Rules Committee and some to Ways and Means. SB 6011 also received a due pass recommendation to Rules, and SB 5868 was sent to Ways and Means. On SB 5974, Amendment Charlie was not adopted, Amendment Delta was adopted, and Amendment Echo was withdrawn; the bill then received a due pass recommendation to Ways and Means. On SB 5993, several proposed amendments were offered and then withdrawn after discussion about medical debt interest rates and repayment incentives. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6086, which would strengthen protections for judicial officers and court personnel by expanding who can seek removal of personal information, broadening Address Confidentiality Program eligibility, and authorizing AOC security consultants to conduct threat assessments. Proponents, including AOC, judges, clerks, and other judicial-system representatives, described rising threats and safety concerns, while county officials, prosecutors, and sheriffs’ representatives raised implementation, constitutional, and data-access concerns. The hearing also included public testimony on Senate Joint Memorial 8014, which asks for a U.S.-led investigation into the killing of Aishanur Esgi; the family, supporters, and several advocates testified in favor, while two opponents raised factual and contextual objections. The committee closed public testimony after time expired, noting large numbers of signed-in supporters and opponents for both measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the legal consultant for the Louisiana Protective Order Registry.
• Is there a cost to file for a protective order? No, ma'am.
• What's the current process for filing a protective order? Okay.
• I guess more specifically to protective order proceedings.
• It's not a permanent order, protective order at this point. It's just temporary.

Bills: HR245, SCR30, SCR40, SB259

Keywords: transparency, justice, Epstein, Maxwell, investigation, human trafficking, government accountability, domestic violence, protective orders, online application, judicial administration, Louisiana, 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair calls Carrie Judas, the director of policy and advocacy with Text Protect.
• I am the director of policy and advocacy at Text Protects, where we focus on strengthening families to
• Sorry, Department of Family and Protective Services. OK.
• are in immediate danger and there is an urgent need for protection.
• the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Bills: HB 26, HB 140, HB 141, HB 142, HB 215

Keywords: Medicaid, nutrition support, maternal health, chronic conditions, pilot program, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child protective services, child abuse investigations, child neglect, child exploitation, advisory committee, Family and Protective Services Council, council abolition, foster care, due process, investigative procedures, child welfare, parental rights, family preservation services

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have to keep in the forefront that we are trying to protect children.
• And we have to keep in the forefront, we are trying to protect children.
• Are other folks also given this protection?
• Are other folks also given this protection?
• If they're licensed by DHS, this is all protected.

Bills: SB1113, SB1115, SB1122, SB1123, SB1125, SB1165, SB1188, SB1193, SB1243, SB1318, SB1477

Keywords: mental health, involuntary evaluation, service of process, court-ordered treatment, evaluation agencies, AHCCCS, remote work, state agency, employment, public health, healthcare, behavioral health, prior authorization, American Indian health program, medicaid, medical examiner, death investigation, body disposal, autopsy, veteran burial

Transcript Highlights:

• protective order for two years.
• In a protective order case, they can't get the protective order to be revisited.
• There were no protective orders.
• Victims are protected.
• . protection.

Bills: HCR 16, HB 782, HB 2159, HB 2288, HB 3281, HB 3819, HB 4656, HB 4696, HB 5494

Keywords: fatherhood, family support, fatherlessness, community engagement, youth development, social policy, male role models, child development, policy reform, role models, mental health, parenting, single-parent homes, welfare reform, economic opportunity, mentorship, community initiatives, children, welfare programs, education

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's the protection we have against that.
• And that's the protection we have against that.
• And the staff is protected. And you know what? Right?
• These are known as Enhanced Radiation Protection Systems, or ERPDs.
• These are known as Enhanced Radiation Protection Systems, or ERPDs.

Bills: SB1001, SB1011, SB1016, SB1052, SB1072, SB1100, SB1112, SB1113, SB1116, SB1118, SB1120, SB1121, SB1122, SB1123, SB1124, SB1125

Keywords: appropriation, economic security, blind individuals, older adults, state funding, medical examiners, sudden infant death, autopsy protocols, forensic pathology, public health, religious exemption, employment practices, COVID-19 vaccination, accommodation, discrimination, assisted living, health care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, physician orders, informed consent

Bills: SB746, SB1404, SB1536, SB1559, SB1838

Keywords: guardianship, guardian ad litem, incapacitated person, proposed ward, ward, probate, Estates Code, Texas probate, elder abuse, adult protective services, capacity restoration, guardian removal, annual account, annual report, estate guardian, person guardian, civil immunity, court-appointed representative, judiciary, civil jurisprudence

Bills: SB 397, SB 481, SB 596, SB 760, SB 855, SB 1195, SB 1196, SB 1233, SB 1257, SB 1318, SB 1368, SB 1388, SB 1398, SB 1524, SB 1558, SB 1589, SB 1677, SB 1792, SB 2034

Keywords: data privacy, consumer rights, technology, business regulation, cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, nursing facilities, assisted living, resident safety, power outage, voting by mail, legal guardian, electoral process, foster care, medical consent, out-of-network, healthcare access, Medicaid, child protection, expungement

Transcript Highlights:

• They're not protecting their shareholders."
• It ensures that access is limited to granted, expired, vacated, or active protective orders.
• Sealed or confidential victim information is protected.
• She had a protective order in Harris County, and they had a custody battle.
• Would it include expired protective orders?

Bills: HB4922, HB4713, HB4256, HB872, HB1571, HB4266, HB4559, SB251, SB441, SB1719

Keywords: healthcare liability, emergency medical care, standard of proof, negligence, legal reforms, Texas General Arbitration Act, arbitration, binding arbitration, statute of limitations, limitations period, tolling, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Section 16.073, alternative dispute resolution, ADR, civil procedure, lawsuit filing, court jurisdiction, Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, procedural law

Transcript Highlights:

• In a protective order case, they can't get the protective order to be revisited.
• There were no protective orders.
• Victims are protected.
• And I believe that if a person wishes to file a protection, If a person wishes to have a protective order
• In some ways, I think CPS parents get even more protections. Protection.

Bills: HCR16, HB782, HB2159, HB2288, HB3281, HB3819, HB4656, HB4696, HB5494, HCR16

Keywords: fatherhood, family support, fatherlessness, community engagement, youth development, social policy, male role models, child development, policy reform, role models, mental health, parenting, single-parent homes, welfare reform, economic opportunity, mentorship, community initiatives, children, welfare programs, education

Transcript Highlights:

• Please protect our right for local choice in a system that works well.
• Please protect our right for local choice in a system that works well.
• Please protect our right for local choice in a system that works well.
• <c> our</c><01:03:57.359><c> right</c><01:03:57.520><c> for</c><01:03:57.760><c> local</c> please protect
• our right for local please protect our right for local choice<01:03:58.599><c> in</c><01:03:58.720><

Bills: HF72, HF66, HF69, HF73

Keywords: campaign finance, state funding, political activity, nonprofits, government transparency, HF66, Minnesota second-degree murder, unintentional murder, protective order, order for protection, harassment restraining order, domestic violence, victim protection, cross-jurisdictional orders, out-of-state restraining order, tribal court order, Canadian protective order, public safety, criminal law, homicide

Transcript Highlights:

• More importantly, it helped Texans protect their homes and keep communities strong, so thank you for
• This fortified program, which is a strong program, will help us protect our homes.
• This is a practical solution that promotes workforce mobility, improves access to care, and protects
• Vanessa Sivage, protecting Texas children, and self, you're registered for HB 778, please proceed.
• Protecting Texas Children believes in the inherent dignity and worth of every Texas citizen. child.

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• leadership in defending... ...affordability on the coast, while seeking meaningful solutions to provide protections
• I understand that this committee is under a five-part mandate to lower insurance rates, protect consumers
• , and we're working with them to ensure that this bill affords the exact same level of consumer protections

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Would amend language in the Texas Family Code allowing the Department of Family and Protective Services
• It was just disgusting what happened and thank you for protecting our Texans, your constituents.
• The communities house the people we who raised us and protected us at one point.
• Members, this bill will protect our seniors.
• HB 863, the Senior Independent Living Protection, would ensure that seniors are protected during emergencies

Bills: HB 660, HB 4845, HB 3902, HB 5396, HB 4615, HB 1825, HB 1403, HB 4336, HB 4585, HB 4371, HB 863, SB 1589, HB 5223, HB 3195, HB 2734

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation

Transcript Highlights:

• The communities are those who raised us and protected us at one point. Someday, those will be us.
• We must protect our seniors.
• This bill is about protecting children and making sure daycares have real emergency plans they practice
• Our best priority is to protect lives.
• HB863, the Senior Independent Living Protection, would ensure that seniors are protected during emergencies

Bills: HB660, HB4845, HB3902, HB5396, HB4615, HB1825, HB1403, HB4336, HB4585, HB4371, HB863, SB1589, HB5223, HB3195, HB2734

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill protects providers, prevents service disruptions, and makes the process more efficient so that
• I don't— I understand one thing about the Department of Family and Protective Services.
• The Department of Family and Protective Services is a government agency. Yes.
• Members, the committee substitute more adequately meets our goal of protecting vulnerable patients and
• Our mission as DFPS staff is to protect the unprotected.

Bills: HB660, HB4845, HB3902, HB5396, HB4615, HB1825, HB1403, HB4336, HB4585, HB4371, HB863, SB1589, HB5223, HB3195, HB2734

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:31:13.440><c> transportation,</c> placement, arranging transportation, placement, arranging transportation
• And now we have adult protective services, otherwise known as APS.
• </c> activities of daily living or protect activities of daily living or protect themselves<00:35:14.400
• So, we look at all protective services.
• </c><00:35:43.040><c> services</c> used for our child protective services used for our child protective

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:24 Discussion of The Center for Courageous Kids – 00:02:46 Discussion of Adult Protective Services and State Guardianship Programs – 00:25:22 Discussion of Annual Report of the External Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel – 01:00:34 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:33:41 Adjournment – 01:42:07, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children opened its first meeting with roll call and a reminder about the number of children in out-of-home care with active placements, which the chair said was 8,641 as of June 1, 2025. The committee then heard a presentation from the Center for Courageous Kids, a donor-funded camp in Scottville that serves children with lifelong illnesses and disabilities at no charge. Representatives described the camp’s year-round family retreats and summer sessions, its medically safe and inclusive model, and examples of campers gaining confidence and independence. They said the camp has served more than 43,000 campers from Kentucky, other states, and other countries, and that it is seeking legislative support for two capital projects: a new art barn and a medical lodge, with a combined request of $3.2 million. Members praised the program and asked about awareness, staffing, volunteer recruitment, accreditation, and how the projects would expand capacity; the camp said the medical lodge would help increase volunteer housing and allow future growth beyond its current summer cap of 128 campers per session. The committee then moved to adult protective services and state guardianship programs. Jessica Wayne, director of the Division of Guardianship, and Cliff Bryant of DCBS explained the legal framework for guardianship and conservatorship, including state guardianship as a last-resort option when no family member or private entity is available or appropriate. They outlined the court petition process, emergency appointments, and the distinction between full and limited guardianship or conservatorship. They emphasized that guardianship is based on legal incapacity to make decisions, not simply on a medical disability diagnosis, and noted that state guardianship can be arranged for some 17-year-olds aging out of youth services. The presenters said the state currently serves 4,645 individuals under guardianship, with most cases involving developmental intellectual disabilities, supported community living waiver participants, and people in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. They also described the division’s three branches: field services, which handles visits and day-to-day decisions in all 120 counties; a benefits branch that applies for public benefits; and a fiduciary branch that manages funds and pays bills. They reported 89 field workers statewide, an average caseload of 52, and said the agency is hiring to reduce that load. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have measures before us that have been approved by our partners in the House to better protect
• It relates to the issuance of certain protective orders for certain burglary offenses.
• orders regardless of their relationship to the offender and clarify and standardize protective order
• First responders, your heart is there to protect and serve and take care of our citizens.
• He vowed to always love and protect me in front of my entire family.

Bills: HB 33, HB 45, HB 48, HB 1261, HB 1465, HB 1778, HB 2596, HB 5238, SB 2969

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• We are also fulfilling our moral obligation to protect these children who are in our care.
• I'm Terry Carricker, testifying on behalf of myself as well as Protect Texas Fragile Kids, and out of
• Importantly, SB 2805 does not weaken any patient protections, which is key.
• conducted by the Department of Family and Protective Services.
• services and children's protective services.

Bills: HB136, HB451, SB425, SB466, SB905, SB1986, SB2311, SB2450, SB2805, SB2826, SB2919, SB3001

Keywords: Medicaid, lactation, healthcare, consultation, reimbursement, maternal health, infant care, commercial sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, child welfare, foster care, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, juvenile probation, risk assessment, needs assessment, trauma screening, child abuse prevention, exploitation screening

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and announced it would vote on pending bills at 10:30, with public testimony limited to two minutes. It first took up Senate Bill 905, a TDLR cleanup bill on licensing regulation of speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Senator Zafferini said the committee substitute would streamline advisory board consultation, remove obsolete provisional licenses, and allow any licensed physician to authorize hearing instruments for minors; the substitute was adopted and the bill left pending. The committee then heard House Bill 451, which would require universal screening for commercial sexual exploitation risk for children in DFPS conservatorship and youth under TJJD jurisdiction. The author and witnesses from Children at Risk, the Fort Bend Anti-Trafficking Collective, and Texas CASA supported the bill as a prevention tool with existing infrastructure and training; the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. The committee next considered Senate Bill 466, which would clarify that families may request a fetal death certificate at any gestational age, while keeping existing filing requirements for physicians. A constituent father testified about losing his 11-week-old daughter and being told he could not obtain a certificate, which he said prevented funeral arrangements; the substitute was adopted and the bill left pending. Senate Bill 2311 followed, requiring residential treatment centers to have a written agreement with the school that will educate resident children before becoming operational. The author cited a local dispute where an RTC and school district lacked communication, and witnesses from Texas CASA and Disability Rights Texas supported clearer educational planning while suggesting the Education Code may need conforming changes; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2826, known as Alyssa’s Law, which would create a statewide education program on medical child abuse for medical students, health care professionals, and CPS caseworkers. The author and Sheriff Bill Weyburn described Alyssa’s case as involving repeated unnecessary surgeries and argued the bill would improve awareness and early identification, while several witnesses and members raised concerns about false accusations, impacts on medically fragile children, and the need for scientific, peer-reviewed training and safeguards. After extensive discussion, the chair left the bill pending. The committee also heard House Bill 136, which would add certified lactation consultants as Medicaid providers to expand breastfeeding support; witnesses from lactation and nutrition fields said the bill would improve access, maternal and infant health, and long-term savings, and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 2805, a surprise-billing/arbitration measure that would clarify provider identifiers and shift arbitration costs to the losing party. The author said the substitute was a legislative counsel draft with no substantive difference, and witnesses from the Texas Medical Association, Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, and U.S. Anesthesia Partners supported the bill as a modest improvement that would reduce administrative confusion and make arbitration fairer without weakening patient protections. Members discussed how arbitration costs affect settlement behavior and how to define the “winner” in close cases. The bill was heard but not voted out during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Available to protect children. It's just that simple.
• And so you have things like that that can pretty much protect you.
• House Bill 368 provides much-needed protection to individuals who require a protective order.
• protection or that person's family.
• ... ...was paying for the device, but the subject of the protective order has access to it.

Bills: HB368, HB3311, HB1734, HB2495, HB2716, HB793, HB3376, HB2524, HB3421, HB3446, HB3181

Keywords: electronic devices, family violence, criminal prosecution, protective orders, tracking, harassment, family allowance, decedent's estate, surviving spouse, minor children, inheritance, child support, maintenance, HB 1734, Family Code, Section 155.207, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, SAPCR, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, jurisdiction transfer