Healthcare (Children)

HB 681 requires Texas' Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to notify parents' legislators and internal affairs within 48 hours if it denies a service provider's certification. It also mandates that children entering DFPS conservatorship receive a child and adolescent needs assessment and a medical checkup under Texas Health Steps within 15 days of removal from their home. These changes apply only to cases starting on or after September 1, 2025, and do not affect existing cases or suits filed before that date. The bill directly affects parents (via notification rights), DFPS staff (through new procedures), and children in foster care (through timely assessments).

HB 1559 prohibits nonconsensual medical procedures on foster children with intersex traits, requiring either medical necessity with the child's consent or court authorization for non-urgent procedures. It defines "intersex traits" as inborn physical characteristics not fitting typical male/female definitions and specifies prohibited treatments like clitoral reduction, genital surgeries, and hormonal therapies. The bill mandates that physicians must obtain voluntary, informed consent from the child and provide clear information about the procedure's nature and irreversibility. This applies specifically to foster children, not all minors, and aims to prevent irreversible procedures without the child's agreement or judicial oversight.