SRC-VRA H.B. 263 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 263
78R2044 KSD-DBy: Goodman (Ellis, Rodney)
Health & Human Services
4/24/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) are established to ensure effective
coordination among the professionals who investigate and prosecute child
abuse.  H.B. 263 provides additional clarity and an accurate reflection of
current practices regarding organizational structure, ongoing operations,
and delivery of services among CACs.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 264.402, 264.404, and 264.406, Family Code, as
follows: 

Sec.  264.402.  Authorizes a children's advocacy center to be established
by community members and the participating entities described by Section
264.403(a) to serve a county or two or more contiguous counties.  

Sec.  264.404.  New heading:  BOARD REPRESENTATION.  (a)  Requires the
governing board of a children's advocacy center, in addition to any other
persons appointed or elected to serve on the governing board of a
children' advocacy center, to include an executive officer of, or an
employee selected by an executive officer of, certain entities. 

(b)  Provides that service on a center's board by an executive, rather
than a public, officer or employee under Subsection (a) is an additional
duty of the person's office or employment.  

Sec.  264.406.  (a)  Requires a center's multidisciplinary team, rather
than the governing board, to include employees of the participating
agencies who are professionals involved in the investigation or
prosecution of child abuse cases.  

(b)  Authorizes a center's multidisciplinary team to also include
professionals involved in the delivery of services, including medical and
mental health services, to child abuse victims and the victims' families. 

(c)  Requires a multidisciplinary team to meet at regularly scheduled
intervals to perform certain duties. 
 
Redesignates existing Subsection (b) as (d) and (f) as (e).  Deletes
existing Subsections (c), (d), and (e). 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 264.411(a), Family Code, to provide that a
public entity that operated as a center under this subchapter before
November 1, 1995, or a nonprofit entity is eligible for a contract under
Section 264.410 if the entity meets certain conditions.  

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 411.114(a)(3), Government Code, to add a new
Subdivision (p) to  existing text to entitle the Department of Protective
and Regulatory Services to obtain from the Department of Public Safety
(DPS) criminal history record information maintained by DPS that relates
to a person who is an employee, volunteer, or applicant volunteer of a
children's advocacy center under Subchapter E, Chapter 264, Family Code,
including a member of the governing board of a center. 

SECTION 4.(a)  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.

(b)  Makes application of the change in law made by this Act to Section
264.411(a), Family Code, prospective.