Relating to the prosecution and punishment of a criminal offense relating to making false statements or reports of child abuse or neglect.

HB 1602 amends Texas Family Code Section 261.107 to criminalize knowingly making false reports of child abuse or neglect with the intent to deceive. It classifies the first offense as a state jail felony, and repeat offenses or those motivated by bias/prejudice as third-degree felonies. The law applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect cases filed before that date. This directly impacts individuals who deliberately file false reports, strengthening penalties for deceptive actions that divert resources from genuine child welfare concerns.