By Zaffirini                                            S.B. No. 55
         77R529 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a statewide education program to prevent infant
 1-3     mortality.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, is
 1-6     amended by renumbering Section 40.0523 as Section 40.0524 and
 1-7     adding a new Section 40.0523 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 40.0523.  INFANT MORTALITY PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAM.
 1-9     (a)  The department and the Children's Trust Fund of Texas Council
1-10     jointly shall develop and implement a statewide education program
1-11     designed to prevent infant mortality.  The department and the
1-12     council shall develop and mutually agree to a memorandum of
1-13     understanding to clearly define the responsibilities of the
1-14     department and the council under this section.
1-15           (b)  In developing and implementing the program, the
1-16     department and the council shall request the assistance of
1-17     individuals, governmental entities, private organizations, and
1-18     other entities with specific knowledge of infant mortality
1-19     prevention.
1-20           (c)  The board and the council shall adopt rules to implement
1-21     this section.
1-22           Sec. 40.0524 [40.0523].  MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS. (a)  To the
1-23     extent possible, the department shall establish multidisciplinary
1-24     teams to provide services relating to a report of child abuse or
 2-1     neglect.  A multidisciplinary team shall include professionals in
 2-2     parent education and in each professional discipline necessary to
 2-3     provide comprehensive medical and psychological services to a child
 2-4     who is the subject of a report and to members of the child's
 2-5     household.
 2-6           (b)  Members of a multidisciplinary team may exchange
 2-7     information relating to a report of child abuse or neglect as
 2-8     necessary to facilitate a thorough investigation of the report. The
 2-9     department may adopt rules governing the exchange of information
2-10     between team members.
2-11           (c)  A multidisciplinary team established under this section
2-12     shall coordinate services provided by the department to a child and
2-13     to members of the child's household with services available from
2-14     other sources, including public and private agencies in the
2-15     community.  The goal of the multidisciplinary team is to provide
2-16     the greatest range of services possible without duplication of
2-17     effort.
2-18           (d)  The department shall establish a process by which
2-19     members of a multidisciplinary team are involved in the
2-20     department's development and implementation of procedures relating
2-21     to coordination of the department's child abuse or neglect services
2-22     with services provided by other public and private agencies.
2-23           SECTION 2. Section 40.061(a), Human Resources Code, is
2-24     amended to read as follows:
2-25           (a)  A department employee, a member of a multidisciplinary
2-26     team established under Section 40.0524 [40.0523], or an authorized
2-27     department volunteer who performs a departmental duty or
 3-1     responsibility is immune from civil or criminal liability for any
 3-2     act or omission that relates to the duty or responsibility if the
 3-3     person acted in good faith and within the scope of the person's
 3-4     authority.
 3-5           SECTION 3. Section 74.006(c), Human Resources Code, is
 3-6     amended to read as follows:
 3-7           (c)  The council may transfer money contained in the trust
 3-8     fund to the operating fund at any time.  However, during a fiscal
 3-9     year the council may not transfer more than the amount deposited to
3-10     the credit of the fund from any source, including interest and the
3-11     amount credited under Section 118.022, Local Government Code,
3-12     during the preceding fiscal year.  Money transferred to the
3-13     operating fund that was originally deposited to the credit of the
3-14     trust fund under Section 118.022, Local Government Code, may be
3-15     used only for an infant mortality prevention education program
3-16     developed and implemented under Section 40.0523 and child abuse and
3-17     neglect prevention programs.  The council may also transfer funds
3-18     contained in the operating fund to the trust fund at any time.
3-19           SECTION 4. (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
3-20           (b)  The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory
3-21     Services and the Children's Trust Fund of Texas Council shall
3-22     implement the statewide education program to prevent infant
3-23     mortality on or before June 1, 2002.