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Child and family services overhaul fails in Senate after sharp debate
Summary
A wide-ranging child and family services package including mature‑minor medical consent, audits of the Guardian ad Litem office, and a proposal to raise the standard for parental‑rights termination to 'beyond a reasonable doubt' failed in the Senate, 11–12 with 6 absent, after extended floor debate about federal compliance and child protections.
The Senate rejected third substitute House Bill 140, a contested package of child‑welfare and judicial code amendments, after extended floor debate over parental rights, guardian ad litem (GAL) independence, confidentiality, and potential conflicts with federal child‑welfare obligations.
Senator Thomas, the bill’s Senate sponsor, described major provisions including a mature‑minor medical consent pathway, a legislative performance audit of the GAL office, potential study of jury trials in child‑welfare cases, and raising the evidentiary standard for termination of parental…
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