H.B. No. 2399 amends the Texas Family Code to enhance the procedures and required findings in suits affecting the parent-child relationship. Specifically, it introduces new requirements for courts to provide detailed written findings when making determinations regarding the safety of a child's environment. Under the new Subsection (c-1) of Section 263.002, courts must include a separate section in their orders that enumerates the specific facts and circumstances supporting their findings, rather than simply referencing the record of proceedings. Similarly, Subsection (a-2) of Section 263.306 mandates that if a court finds that a child's parents are unwilling or unable to provide a safe environment, it must also detail the specific facts and circumstances that led to this conclusion in a separate section of its order.

The bill applies to actions pending or filed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. These amendments aim to ensure greater transparency and accountability in court decisions regarding the welfare of children, requiring judges to articulate their reasoning clearly and substantively in their orders.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Family Code 263.002, Family Code 263.306 (Family Code 263)