Placement stability joins the factors the department must weigh.
The bill adds one more factor the Department of Family and Protective Services must weigh when choosing a foster placement for a child. The department must now consider whether a placement can meet the child's long-term needs, including placement stability, alongside the existing factors like least restrictive setting and closeness to home. Caseworkers making placement decisions for foster children get a new required consideration starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 30, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Human Services committee 10-0, no floor vote.
relating to factors the Department of Family and Protective
Services must consider when selecting a foster care placement for a
child.
WHAT IT DOES
Placement stability joins the factors the department must weigh.
The bill adds one more factor the Department of Family and Protective Services must weigh when choosing a foster placement for a child. The department must now consider whether a placement can meet the child's long-term needs, including placement stability, alongside the existing factors like least restrictive setting and closeness to home. Caseworkers making placement decisions for foster children get a new required consideration starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Hancock moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2041 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Hancock moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2041 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
89R10946 RAL-F
By: Hancock
S.B. No. 2041
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to factors the Department of Family and Protective
Services must consider when selecting a foster care placement for a
child.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 264.107(c), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) In selecting a placement for a child, the department
shall consider whether the placement is in the child's best
interest. In determining whether a placement is in a child's best
interest, the department shall consider whether the placement:
(1) is the least restrictive setting for the child;
(2) is the closest in geographic proximity to the
child's home;
(3) is the most able to meet the identified needs of
the child; [ and ]
(4) satisfies any expressed interests of the child
relating to placement, when developmentally appropriate ; and
(5) is able to meet the long-term needs of the child,
including placement stability .
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 