HB 4116: bill expanding what relative caregivers are told in writing

Caption

relating to information made available to a relative or other designated caregiver.

Summary

More information once a child is placed with them.

The bill expands what the state child welfare department must tell, in writing, a relative or other designated caregiver once a child is placed with them. The notice must now explain the difference between being an unverified caregiver and an agency foster home, including the extra money a foster home gets, plus TANF eligibility, how to apply and benefit amounts, other financial assistance in the subchapter, and any other financial benefit available. Kinship caregivers get a fuller written rundown of the money and programs they can tap, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 2 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on Apr 24, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Health & Human Services committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4116 · 2025-03-07

SOLD BY

Rep. Aicha DavisDHouse 109

Rep. Valoree SwansonRHouse 150

Rep. Toni RoseDHouse 110

+ 1 more author, 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to information made available to a relative or other designated caregiver.

WHAT IT DOES

More information once a child is placed with them.

The bill expands what the state child welfare department must tell, in writing, a relative or other designated caregiver once a child is placed with them. The notice must now explain the difference between being an unverified caregiver and an agency foster home, including the extra money a foster home gets, plus TANF eligibility, how to apply and benefit amounts, other financial assistance in the subchapter, and any other financial benefit available. Kinship caregivers get a fuller written rundown of the money and programs they can tap, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 30, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 7, 2025Filed
Mar 27, 2025Read first time
Mar 27, 2025Referred to Human Services
Apr 1, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 1, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 1, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 8, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 8, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 11, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 11, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 15, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 17, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 23, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 23, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 23, 2025Passed to engrossment
Apr 23, 2025Record vote RV#446
Apr 23, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 24, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 24, 2025Passed
Apr 24, 2025Record vote RV#488
Apr 24, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 24, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 24, 2025Received from the House
Apr 29, 2025Read first time
Apr 29, 2025Referred to Health & Human Services

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 119 yea · 28 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 24, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Aicha Davis

Donors

TOP PAC$30K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15K Texas Sands PAC$12K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 12, 2024 to Oct 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

TOP PAC$29,502.00

TOP PAC

$29,502.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $29,502.00
Total: $29,502.00

printing $29,502.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 27, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 27, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989271.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 4, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989271, 101016836, 101062769, 101072968.

Texas Sands PAC$12,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash: $12,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $12,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 11, 2024 to Sep 29, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989271, 101062769, 101072968.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

TOP PAC

$29,502.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $29,502.00
Total: $29,502.00

printing $29,502.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 27, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 27, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989271.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 4, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989271, 101016836, 101062769, 101072968.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash: $12,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $12,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 11, 2024 to Sep 29, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989271, 101062769, 101072968.

Votes2

House Apr 24, 2025

Yea: 119
Nay: 28
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 0
Excused: 1

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 488

HB 4116 was passed by (Record 488): 119 Yeas, 28 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 119 (published)
Nay: 28 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 130
Nay: 19
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 446

HB 4116 was passed to engrossment by (Record 446): 130 Yeas, 19 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 130 (published)
Nay: 19 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses16

For: 15
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

AARP Texas1 registration
Buckner International1 registration
National Association of Social Workers-Texas1 registration
Parent Guidance Center1 registration
Self2 registrations
Self; Measure1 registration
Self; Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys1 registration
Texans Care for Children1 registration
Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services1 registration
Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services (TACFS)1 registration
Texas Assoviation of Business1 registration
Texas CASA1 registration
TexProtects1 registration
United Ways of Texas1 registration

On

DFPS Resource Witness1 registration

Sources

16 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 30, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 7, 2025

04/29/2025 S Referred to Health & Human Services

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

R.D. "Bobby" GuerraDHouse 41

Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

House committee · Human Services · Committee vote 7 aye, 4 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Health & Human Services · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 576 by West (identical)

Subjects

Family--Child Protection

Human Services--Direct Assistance

FOSTER CARE

Text

The text as introduced · 227 words

89R595 MLH-D

By: A. Davis of Dallas
H.B. No. 4116

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to information made available to a relative or other

designated caregiver.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 264.7541(c), Family Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(c) Once a child is placed with a relative or other

designated caregiver, the department shall inform the caregiver in

writing of:

(1) the option to become verified by a licensed

child-placing agency to operate an agency foster home, if

applicable , and the process for becoming an agency foster home ;

(2) the difference between an unverified relative or

other designated caregiver and an agency foster home, including the

amount of additional financial assistance the relative or other

designated caregiver would receive after becoming an agency foster

home;

(3) the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

program including:

(A) the qualifications for the program;

(B) the process for applying for benefits under

the program; and

(C) the amount of financial benefits under the

program;

(4) the availability of any financial assistance

available under this subchapter;

(5) [ and

[ (2) ] the permanency care assistance program under

Subchapter K ; and

(6) any other financial benefit available to a

relative or other designated caregiver .

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

TOP PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

TOP PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

House Apr 24, 2025

House Apr 23, 2025

For

On

Companion