HB 3783

H.B. No. 3783
  AN ACT
  relating to court-ordered counseling in certain suits affecting the
  parent-child relationship.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 153.010, Family Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read
  as follows:
         (a)  Subject to Subsections (c) and (d), if [If] the court
  finds at the time of a hearing that the parties have a history of
  conflict in resolving an issue of conservatorship or possession of
  or access to the child, the court may order a party to:
               (1)  participate in counseling with a mental health
  professional who:
                     (A)  has a background in family therapy;
                     (B)  has a mental health license that requires as
  a minimum a master's degree; and
                     (C)  has training in the dynamics of family
  [domestic] violence if the court determines that the training is
  relevant to the type of counseling needed; and
               (2)  pay the cost of counseling.
         (c)  In determining whether to order a party to participate
  in counseling under Subsection (a), the court shall consider
  evidence of family violence or sexual abuse in accordance with
  Section 153.004.  If credible evidence of family violence or sexual
  abuse is presented, the court may not order:
               (1)  counseling in which a victim of the violence or
  abuse participates in counseling sessions together with the
  perpetrator of the violence or abuse; or
               (2)  a party who is a victim of the violence or abuse to
  pay any of the cost of the counseling.
         (d)  A court may not order a party to participate in
  counseling under Subsection (a) in which the person conducting the
  counseling requires:
               (1)  the isolation of a child who is the subject of the
  suit from the child's family, school, religious community, other
  community, or other sources of support, including by prohibiting or
  preventing the child from contacting a parent or other family
  member;
               (2)  a child who is the subject of the suit to stay
  overnight or for multiple days in an out-of-state location or other
  location, regardless of whether the child is accompanied by a
  parent or other family member;
               (3)  the transportation of a child who is the subject of
  the suit to a location by force, threat of force, undue coercion, or
  other action that places the child's safety at risk;
               (4)  a temporary or permanent change in the periods of
  possession of or access to a child who is the subject of the suit to
  which a conservator of the child would otherwise be entitled; or
               (5)  the use of force, threat of force, undue coercion,
  or verbal abuse against a child who is the subject of the suit.
         SECTION 2.  Section 153.010, Family Code, as amended by this
  Act, applies to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship that
  is pending in a trial court on the effective date of this Act or that
  is filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  153.010, Family Code, constitutes a material and substantial change
  of circumstances sufficient to warrant modification of a court
  order or portion of a decree that provides for the possession of or
  access to a child rendered before the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
  ______________________________
  ______________________________
     President of the Senate
  Speaker of the House     
         I certify that H.B. No. 3783 was passed by the House on May 6,
  2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 3783 on May 29, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 128, Nays 7,
  1 present, not voting.
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
         I certify that H.B. No. 3783 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 27, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
           __________________
                Governor