Relating to individuals whose name may be added to the central child abuse or neglect registry.
HB 2070 amends Texas Family Code Section 261.002 to require a court finding of abuse or neglect before adding someone to the central child abuse registry. Currently, the Department of Family and Protective Services can add names based on their own findings, but this bill mandates a final court order in a civil, criminal, or juvenile case first. The change applies only to findings made on or after September 1, 2025, with prior cases governed by previous law. This directly affects individuals potentially added to the registry and the Department’s process for doing so.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 14, 2025
Last action May 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced
→
Engrossed
·
4 edits
·
May 15, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was amended to expand the circumstances under which an individual's name can be added to the central child abuse registry. Previously, a court finding was required in all cases. Now, the Department of Family and Protective Services can add names without a court order in specific situations involving child-care facilities, schools, interagency reportable conduct, conservatorship cases, and church-related child abuse.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from requiring a court finding in all cases to allowing direct department action in five specific scenarios where abuse or neglect was found.
ELIGIBILITY
Added five specific scenarios where the department can add a name to the registry without a court order: abuse in child-care facilities or family homes, abuse in schools, reportable conduct requiring inclusion in a search engine, abuse while child is in department conservatorship, and abuse on church premises or during church activities.
REQUIREMENT
Modified the requirement that a court must enter a final order before adding a name to the registry, creating exceptions for the five new scenarios.
TIMELINE
The effective date of September 1, 2025 remains unchanged.
DEFINITION
The retroactive application provision for findings made before the effective date remains unchanged.
Floor votes · House May 15, 2025
How they voted
139–0
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 144
May 15, 2025
D
Democratic58
96% Yea
R
Republican86
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
33
Key actions
11
Committee
9
Amendments
2
May 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
May 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
May 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health & Human Services
upper
May 16, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
May 16, 2025
Introduced
Received from the House
upper
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed as amended
lower
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 15, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (139-0-5)
house
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to engrossment
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
Apr 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to Human Services
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
6 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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