TX HB2235

Amends the Texas Family Code definitions of child "abuse" to reorganize existing provisions and add a new category covering employees, volunteers, or individuals at schools, facilities, or programs who use restraint or seclusion on a child in ways that violate federal law, state law, state rules, or applicable regulations

Modifies the definition of "neglect" to explicitly include schools alongside facilities and programs when defining negligent acts or omissions by employees, volunteers, or other individuals that cause substantial emotional harm, physical injury, or death to a child

Updates cross-references in the family violence definition to align with the reorganized abuse definition subsections

Maintains all existing abuse categories including mental/emotional injury, physical injury causing substantial harm, sexual conduct harmful to children, controlled substance use affecting children, child trafficking, and forced child marriage

Preserves existing exclusions from the neglect definition, including parental refusal to allow a severely emotionally disturbed child to return home due to inability to obtain mental health services, age-appropriate independent activities, and decisions to seek second medical opinions or transfer care