89R9185 KRM-F
By: Noble H.B. No. 4795
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to duties of the vital statistics unit of the Department of
State Health Services in relation to certain suits affecting the
parent-child relationship, including in regard to the electronic
transmission of certain information.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 155.101, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
follows:
(b) The vital statistics unit shall, on the [written]
request of the Department of Family and Protective Services, the
court, an attorney, or a party:
(1) identify the court that last had continuing,
exclusive jurisdiction of the child in a suit and give the docket
number of the suit; or
(2) state that the child has not been the subject of a
suit.
(e) The vital statistics unit shall establish an electronic
process through which the Department of Family and Protective
Services, the court, an attorney, or a party may request
information under this section.
SECTION 2. Section 160.422, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (a-1) to
read as follows:
(a) Not later than the 10th day after the date a request is
received from an individual, a court, or an agency listed in Section
160.412(b), the [The] vital statistics unit shall furnish a
certificate of the results of a search of the registry [on request
by an individual, a court, or an agency listed in Section
160.412(b)].
(a-1) The vital statistics unit shall establish an
electronic process through which an individual, a court, or an
agency listed in Section 160.412(b) may request information under
this section.
(b) The certificate of the results of a search must include
a digitized or written signature [be signed] on behalf of the unit
and state that:
(1) a search has been made of the registry; and
(2) a registration containing the information
required to identify the registrant:
(A) has been found and is attached to the
certificate; or
(B) has not been found.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement the
changes in law made by this Act.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a request received by the vital statistics unit of the Department of
State Health Services on or after January 1, 2026. A request
received before January 1, 2026, is governed by the law in effect
immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.