Family Freedom Project Priority Bills

Parental Rights Constitutional Amendment

A Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution would enshrine the right of parents to raise their children for future generations. Right now, the rights of Defending Freedom in the 2023 Texas LegislatureTexas parents rest almost entirely in the hands of unelected federal judges, who come and go regularly and could change their minds on parental rights at any time.

Parental Presumption Bill

This bill reinforces parental rights by establishing clearly in Texas law that judges must give preference to parental decisions regarding a parent’s child. It provides clear legal standards for overcoming this presumption, ensuring that parental rights are only infringed on when necessary to protect a child from significant harm. 

CPS Evidence Bill

This bill addresses significant deficiencies in the quality of evidence CPS currently uses to prosecute families, evidence that would never be allowed in almost any other type of lawsuit. In a nutshell, this bill would require that CPS comply with the rules of evidence that are used already in criminal cases. FFP is working with various coalition partners to support this bill. 

Additional Bills Family Freedom Project is Working On and Supporting

Child Abuse Registry Reform

The “Child Abuse Registry” is a blacklist which CPS places parents on when CPS believes they may have committed abuse or neglect. CPS has complete authority to place families on the list irrespective of whether the family was found guilty or innocent in court, and even without the family’s knowledge. Placement on the list can result in parents failing background checks and losing their jobs. This bill is designed to ensure that families only go on the registry after having actually been found guilty and that there is a clear process for them to petition to get off the registry when appropriate.

Early Attorney Appointment for Low Income Families

This priority would create a grant program to provide early legal representation to families being investigated by CPS. Currently, low-income families can receive court-appointed attorneys in CPS cases, but only after CPS has already taken the family to court. Early appointment of attorneys would allow low-income families to receive legal support immediately upon a CPS investigation being opened and would increase the chances that the issue can be resolved without going to court and without removing the child. 

Reforming Termination of Parental Rights

This bill reforms the grounds for termination of parental rights to ensure that parental rights are only terminated based on conduct that actually harmed the child or put the child at significant risk. Currently, numerous grounds for termination exist by which CPS can terminate a parent’s rights based on conduct that did not actually cause any harm or threat of harm to the child.

Returning Children in CPS Cases


Currently, courts in CPS cases are given multiple deadlines throughout a case where they are required to return children home unless there is a continuing danger in the home that would make it unsafe for the child to return. However, courts often ignore this rule. This bill strengthens the law by requiring courts to make detailed, specific findings that explain exactly what danger in the home prevented them from returning the child. This allows families to hold judges accountable if they keep the child even when no danger exists in the home.