TX SB1196

Prohibits the Department of Family and Protective Services from adding an individual's name to the central child abuse or neglect registry unless a final order is issued by the State Office of Administrative Hearings or a court finding that the individual abused or neglected a child

Creates exceptions allowing registry addition without a final order for serious offenses including child abandonment, serious bodily injury, sexual abuse, murder, capital murder, manslaughter, trafficking, and other specified felonies against children, as well as for registered sex offenders

Requires the department to provide written notice within 10 days of a determination, informing individuals of the registry's purpose, consequences of being listed (including impacts on employment, licensing, and contact with children), and their right to challenge inclusion through various administrative and judicial review processes

Establishes a 30-day window for individuals to request a hearing with the State Office of Administrative Hearings, which must conduct proceedings, make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and issue a final decision; the department cannot add names to the registry until the hearing process concludes

Mandates an internal department review while administrative hearings are pending, with requirements to remove cases from the hearing docket if evidence does not support a finding of abuse or neglect by preponderance of the evidence; takes effect September 1, 2025