1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to coordination by the Department of Protective and 1-3 Regulatory Services of investigation of reports of child abuse or 1-4 neglect. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 261, Family Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 261.3125 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 261.3125. INVESTIGATIONS COORDINATOR. (a) The 1-9 department shall employ in each region of the department for child 1-10 protective services at least one child protective services 1-11 investigations coordinator. The job responsibilities of the 1-12 investigations coordinator must focus only on child abuse and 1-13 neglect investigation issues, including reports of child abuse 1-14 required by Section 261.101, to achieve a greater compliance with 1-15 that section, and on assessing and improving the effectiveness of 1-16 the department in providing for the protection of children in the 1-17 region. 1-18 (b) The duties of a child protective services investigations 1-19 coordinator must include the duty to: 1-20 (1) conduct staff reviews and evaluations of cases 1-21 determined to involve a high risk to the health or safety of a 1-22 child, including cases of abuse reported under Section 261.101; 1-23 (2) monitor cases in which there have been multiple 1-24 referrals to the department of child abuse or neglect involving the 2-1 same family, child, or person alleged to have committed the abuse 2-2 or neglect; and 2-3 (3) approve decisions and assessments related to 2-4 investigations of cases of child abuse or neglect that involve a 2-5 high risk to the health or safety of a child. 2-6 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 3778 was passed by the House on April 27, 1999, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 3778 on May 21, 1999, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 3778 on May 29, 1999, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 3778 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 18, 1999, by a viva-voce vote; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 3778 on May 30, 1999, by a viva-voce vote. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor