TX HB1973

Requires petitioners in suits affecting parent-child relationships to submit a certified copy of the child's birth certificate to the court if available

Allows courts to request a certified birth certificate from another party if the petitioner cannot provide one, and to request alternative proof of parental identity if no birth certificate is available or if it does not name both parents

Mandates that birth certificates and other proof of parental identity submitted under these provisions be filed under seal and kept confidential

Exempts the Title IV-D agency (child support enforcement) from the requirement to submit birth certificates or alternative proof of parental identity when filing such suits

Takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies only to suits filed on or after that date