Relating to duties of the vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services in relation to certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship, including in regard to the electronic transmission of certain information.

Contracts

• Vendor Agreements: Terminate or renegotiate contracts with third-party document retrieval services ("runners") regarding vital statistics. Physical retrieval for CCJ and Paternity checks will be obsolete after December 31, 2025.
• Client Fee Agreements: Update retainer agreements to remove "postage and handling" for these specific filings. Replace with provisions for "electronic transaction fees" or "portal access fees."

Hiring/Training

• Workflow Shift: Reassign responsibility for registry checks from administrative mailroom staff to paralegals or IT-literate support staff.
• Portal Training: Staff must be trained on the specific Texas.gov module once launched. Security protocols for managing firm-wide access credentials must be established to prevent unauthorized use by former employees.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Digital Evidence: The law validates "digitized signatures" on search certificates. Update internal case management systems (CMS) to index and store these native digital files as valid court exhibits without requiring physical printing/scanning.
• Due Diligence: Courts will expect near-instant production of these certificates. The excuse of "waiting on the state" via mail will no longer be accepted as a valid reason for delaying hearings.

Fees & Costs

• Transaction Fees: While specific amounts are pending rulemaking, the Fiscal Note indicates the system will be built on the Texas.gov platform, which invariably charges a cost-recovery or transaction fee per search.
• Cost Shift: Postage costs will be eliminated; digital processing fees will be introduced.