Monitoring the Session

HB 5637

bill updating the definition of family protection services

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the provision of family protection services by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Now expressly includes Family First Prevention Services Act services.

The bill rewrites the state definition of "family protection services" that the Texas Indigent Defense Commission handles, so the term expressly includes services covered by the federal Family First Prevention Services Act. It touches poor parents and children facing a child-welfare suit or investigation by the state department, and the lawyers, investigators, social workers and experts who serve them. On the ground, the commission's family-defense services are tied to that federal law starting September 1, 2025, and no new duty, penalty or office is created.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 137 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 137 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5637 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

ITEM

relating to the provision of family protection services by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission.

WHAT IT DOES

Now expressly includes Family First Prevention Services Act services.

The bill rewrites the state definition of "family protection services" that the Texas Indigent Defense Commission handles, so the term expressly includes services covered by the federal Family First Prevention Services Act. It touches poor parents and children facing a child-welfare suit or investigation by the state department, and the lawyers, investigators, social workers and experts who serve them. On the ground, the commission's family-defense services are tied to that federal law starting September 1, 2025, and no new duty, penalty or office is created.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Josey Garcia

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$12KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10KHouse Democratic Campaign Committee$7K

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 · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 22, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$11,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$11,500.00

Cash
$11,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$11,500.00

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 · Dec 5, 2024 to Sep 24, 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: 100978474, 101016612, 101060352, 101067943.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 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: 100978474.

House Democratic Campaign Committee$7,000.00

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101060352.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$11,500.00

Cash
$11,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$11,500.00

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 · Dec 5, 2024 to Sep 24, 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: 100978474, 101016612, 101060352, 101067943.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 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: 100978474.

×

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101060352.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

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 14, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Criminal Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Family--Child Protection

INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 137 words

89R16374 RAL-D

By: Garcia of Bexar
H.B. No. 5637

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of family protection services by the

Texas Indigent Defense Commission.

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

SECTION 1. Section 79.001(8-a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(8-a) "Family protection services" means services

provided under this chapter , including services subject to the

Family First Prevention Services Act (Title VII, Div. E, Pub. L.

No. 115-123), by an attorney, attorney ad litem, licensed

investigator, social worker, forensic expert, mental health

expert, or other similar expert or specialist to an indigent parent

or child in:

(A) a suit filed by the department against the

parent; or

(B) a department investigation of the parent.

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