Relating to certain procedures in suits affecting the parent-child relationship filed by the Department of Family and Protective Services.

HB 3282 (Texas Family Code amendment) changes procedures for the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) when filing parental termination cases. It requires DFPS to meet specific criteria before filing, such as having cared for a child in their temporary conservatorship for 15 of the last 22 months, or proving "aggravated circumstances" against the parent. The bill also prohibits filing if a child is with a relative, DFPS documented that termination isn’t in the child’s best interest, or DFPS failed to make reasonable reunification efforts in the past year. Additionally, it shortens the time before a case can be dismissed from two years to one year.