H.B. No. 2340 amends the Family Code to enhance the qualifications and recordkeeping requirements for child custody evaluators, particularly concerning children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The bill introduces definitions for "developmental disability" and "intellectual disability" as per existing health codes and mandates that evaluators complete at least three hours of relevant training within two years prior to conducting evaluations. Additionally, it specifies that evaluators must make their records available upon request, while ensuring that sensitive information, such as social security numbers and children's birth dates, is redacted before disclosure.

The bill also establishes new criteria for the admissibility of child custody evaluation reports in court. Specifically, it states that if a child has an intellectual or developmental disability, the court cannot admit the evaluation report unless the evaluator has met the required training standards. These provisions will apply to evaluations conducted by court-appointed evaluators starting January 1, 2026, while evaluations conducted before this date will follow the previous laws. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Family Code 107.104, Family Code 591.003, Family Code 107.112, Family Code 107.114 (Family Code 591, Family Code 107)
House Committee Report: Family Code 107.104, Family Code 591.003, Family Code 107.112, Family Code 107.114 (Family Code 591, Family Code 107)
Engrossed: Family Code 107.104, Family Code 591.003, Family Code 107.112, Family Code 107.114 (Family Code 591, Family Code 107)
Senate Committee Report: Family Code 107.104, Family Code 591.003, Family Code 107.112, Family Code 107.114 (Family Code 591, Family Code 107)
Enrolled: Family Code 107.104, Family Code 591.003, Family Code 107.112, Family Code 107.114 (Family Code 591, Family Code 107)