Tex. Hum. Res. Code § 45.009 · Chapter 45. PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE FOR CHILD WELFARE SERVICES PROVIDERS
EFFECT ON RIGHTS; CONSTRUCTION OF LAW.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) This chapter may not be construed to authorize a governmental entity to burden a person's free exercise of religion.
(b) The protections of religious freedom afforded by this chapter are in addition to the protections provided under federal or state law and the constitutions of this state and the United States.
(c) This chapter may not be construed to supersede any law of this state that is equally as protective of religious beliefs as, or more protective of religious beliefs than, this chapter.
(d) This chapter may not be considered to narrow the meaning or application of any other law protecting religious beliefs.
(e) This chapter may not be construed to prevent law enforcement officers from exercising duties imposed on the officers under the Family Code and the Penal Code.
(f) This chapter may not be construed to allow a child welfare services provider to decline to provide, facilitate, or refer a person for child welfare services on the basis of that person's race, ethnicity, or national origin.
(g) This chapter may not be construed to allow a child welfare services provider to deprive a minor of the rights, including the right to medical care, provided by Chapters 32, 263, and 266, Family Code.
(h) This chapter may not be construed to prohibit the department from:
(1) exercising its duty as the child's managing conservator to make decisions in the child's best interest; or
(2) obtaining necessary child welfare services from an alternate child welfare services provider.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1152 (H.B. 3859), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HR/htm/HR.45.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 bcc519353ba614c1e819b98f47b096068dbad73b4abe9c8bd68f19686a53f310
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.