Enrolled Bill Summary

 

House Bill 662	House Author:  Dukes et al.
Effective:  See below	Senate Sponsor:  Ellis et al.

            House Bill 662 amends the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services, in consultation with the Interagency Coordinating Council for Building Healthy Families, to develop a statewide, long-range strategic plan for child abuse and neglect prevention services. The bill expands the purpose and duties of the council, including directing the council to evaluate the funding, effectiveness, and opportunities for improvement of programs and services for child abuse and neglect prevention and early intervention. House Bill 662 also changes the composition of the council to include a representative from the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services and continues the council in existence until January 1, 2010. The council is required to prepare and submit two reports to the legislative leadership and the legislature. The first report is required to be submitted not later than December 1, 2008, and relates to the development and implementation of the statewide strategic plan and the status of the council's evaluations of streamlined funding mechanisms, methods for improvements in the delivery of services, and the need for increased state funding. The second report is required to be submitted not later than December 1, 2009, and relates to the effectiveness of certain state-funded programs and services. The bill also designates the child abuse and neglect prevention trust fund as a dedicated account for child abuse prevention programs and limits certain funds in the account to be appropriated for the operating fund for primary child abuse prevention programs. Provisions of the bill relating to the child abuse and neglect prevention trust fund account take effect September 1, 2010. All other provisions of the bill take effect June 15, 2007.