1-1 By: Goodman (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro) H.B. No. 2428 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 9, 2001; 1-3 April 9, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Jurisprudence; April 24, 2001, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 24, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the confidentiality of certain records of a 1-9 court-appointed volunteer advocate program. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 264, Family Code, is amended 1-12 by adding Section 264.613 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 264.613. USE OF INFORMATION AND RECORDS; 1-14 CONFIDENTIALITY. (a) The files, reports, records, communications, 1-15 and working papers used or developed in providing services under 1-16 this subchapter are confidential and not subject to disclosure 1-17 under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may only be disclosed for 1-18 purposes consistent with this subchapter. 1-19 (b) Information described by Subsection (a) may be 1-20 disclosed to: 1-21 (1) the department, department employees, law 1-22 enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys, medical professionals, 1-23 and other state agencies that provide services to children and 1-24 families; 1-25 (2) the attorney for the child who is the subject of 1-26 the information; and 1-27 (3) eligible children's advocacy centers. 1-28 (c) Information related to the investigation of a report of 1-29 abuse or neglect of a child under Chapter 261 and services provided 1-30 as a result of the investigation are confidential as provided by 1-31 Section 261.201. 1-32 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 1-33 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 1-34 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 1-35 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 1-36 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-37 * * * * *