Relating to a prohibition on the referral of a suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed by a governmental entity to a court designated as a juvenile court in certain counties.

HB 5143 prohibits courts in Texas counties with 3.3 million or more residents from transferring any part of a lawsuit filed by a governmental entity (like child protective services) involving parent-child relationships to a juvenile court. This applies regardless of whether a "dual status child" (a child involved in both family and juvenile cases) is part of the suit. The law affects how cases are handled in major counties such as Harris (Houston) and Dallas, preventing their transfer to juvenile court venues. It applies to all pending cases on its effective date and new filings starting September 1, 2025.