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.
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