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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duty to report child abuse and neglect. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 261.101(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A person who has credible information that causes the |
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person [having cause] to believe that a child's physical or mental |
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health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by |
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any person shall immediately make a report as provided by this |
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subchapter. For purposes of this subsection, "credible |
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information" means information supported by corroborating |
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circumstances that clearly indicate the information's |
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trustworthiness. |
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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, 2021. |