Relating to the voluntary relinquishment of parental rights, adoption, and the regulation of child-placing agencies.
What changed between versions
New form requirements for voluntary parental rights relinquishment must include explanations about revocation circumstances, child support rights, alternatives to adoption, government benefits, legal consultation options, counseling, post-adoption contact agreements, non-identifying information about adoptive parents, medical/genetic screening records, and adoption registry registration.
New notice requirements for prospective adoptive parents must include information about birth conditions, medical records, legal risks, legal documents, non-identifying biological information, post-adoption resources, and adoption costs.
New training requirements for child-placing agency employees, directors, and operators must include education about adoptive parents' rights and parental rights relinquishment procedures.
Updated agency references in the Family Code to include the Health and Human Services Commission alongside the Department of Family and Protective Services for form adoption responsibilities.
Establishes implementation deadlines: forms must be adopted by March 1, 2026, rules must be adopted by January 1, 2026, and the Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Added new sections to the Human Resources Code requiring the executive commissioner to adopt rules governing child-placing agency operations, training standards, compliance reporting, and audits.
