Relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem and the compensation of certain attorneys ad litem in suits affecting the parent-child relationship filed by a governmental entity.

HB 5551 amends Texas Family Code provisions to establish a fee schedule for attorneys representing children or parents in government-filed custody cases when parents cannot afford legal fees. It requires counties to create and adopt a standardized payment system based on time spent in court and out-of-court work, funded by county general funds (not state funds). The bill also adds accountability measures, allowing courts to remove attorneys who submit false payment claims and enabling denied claimants to petition a presiding judge for resolution within 60 days. This directly affects county governments (as payers), appointed attorneys, and courts managing these cases.