By Luna                                               H.B. No. 3778
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the investigation of a report of child abuse or
 1-3     neglect.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 261.301, Family Code, is amended to add a
 1-6     new subsection (h) to read as follows:
 1-7           (h)  In each administrative region of the state, the
 1-8     department shall employ at least one child protective services
 1-9     safety coordinator who shall focus solely on child safety issues
1-10     and the region's effectiveness in providing safety to children.
1-11     Duties of the safety coordinator shall include convening staff
1-12     reviews of cases determined to involve high risk to the safety of a
1-13     child, monitoring investigations in cases involving multiple
1-14     referrals to the department of the same child or the same alleged
1-15     perpetrator of abuse or neglect, approving safety assessments and
1-16     developing and assisting in the delivery of training on child
1-17     safety issues.
1-18           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.