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