TITLE: Relating to establishing a procedure for the Department of Family and Protective Services to respond to and issue findings on reports of abuse or neglect made by certain professionals.

SUMMARY: Relating to establishing a procedure for the Department of Family and Protective Services to respond to and issue findings on reports of abuse or neglect made by certain professionals.

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