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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a procedure for the Department of Family |
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and Protective Services to respond to and issue findings on reports |
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of abuse or neglect made by certain professionals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 261, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 261.1012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 261.1012. ENHANCED DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO REPORT BY |
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PROFESSIONAL. The department shall establish a procedure for |
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enhanced response to a report of abuse or neglect made by a |
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professional under Section 261.101. The procedure must require: |
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(1) the department to contact the professional who |
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made the report of abuse or neglect by phone as soon as practicable |
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after receiving the report and before initiating an investigation; |
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(2) the department employee who contacts the |
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professional under Subdivision (1) to gather additional |
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information to inform the initiation of the investigation and |
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investigational procedures; |
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(3) the department to notify the professional who made |
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the report of abuse or neglect of the department's findings and |
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decision regarding any investigation resulting from the report; |
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(4) the department to establish a process to allow a |
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professional who receives information under Subdivision (3) to |
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request an administrative review of the department's investigation |
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if the professional believes the investigation was not conducted |
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appropriately based on the allegation; and |
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(5) the department to automatically dispose of a case |
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with a finding of reason to believe that abuse or neglect occurred |
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if the professional's report on which the department's |
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investigation is based includes evidence that the person who is the |
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subject of the investigation disclosed to the professional that the |
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person abused or neglected the child who is the subject of the |
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professional's report. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a report of suspected abuse or neglect of a child that is made on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. A report of suspected abuse |
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or neglect that is made before that date is governed by the law in |
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effect on the date the report was made, and that law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |