BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1685
By: Dukes (Ellis)
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
According to statistics from the Department of Family and Protective Services, abuse or neglect caused the deaths of 184 Texas children in the fiscal year ending in August of 2003. The media has been inundated with these stories, and every effort should be made to ensure that these tragedies do not occur again. Efforts to enhance the capabilities of Child Protective Services are needed and are being undertaken through other actions of this Legislature.
The State of Texas depends on agencies, departments, and commissions to support efforts to react to and reduce the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. These agencies, which promote and foster healthy families, practice certain prevention policies, programs, and activities which aim to prevent child abuse and neglect.
The Department of Family and Protective Services is currently attempting to determine where prevention services are available, and to whom those services are intended. H.B. 1685 would enhance and expand these efforts.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subtitle E, Title 5, Family Code, by adding Chapter 266, as follows:
CHAPTER 266. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR
BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES
Sec. 266.001. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES. (a) Establishes the Interagency Coordinating Council for Building Healthy Families (council) to facilitate communication and collaboration concerning policies for the prevention of and early intervention in child abuse and neglect among state agencies whose programs and services promote and foster healthy families.
(b) Provides that the council consists of one representative from each of ten listed state agencies appointed by the executive director or commissioner of each agency.
(c) Requires a representative of an agency appointed to the council to have an overall understanding of the agency's mission and purpose and substantial experience and expertise relating to the administration of the agency's policies, programs, and activities.
(d) Provides that the representative from the Department of Family and Protective Services serves as the presiding officer of the council.
(e) Requires the council to meet at least quarterly and to submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature the minutes of each council meeting.
(f) Requires the council, not later than June 1, 2006, to prepare and submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature an inventory of the child abuse and neglect prevention and early intervention policies, programs, and activities of each agency represented on the council.
(g) Requires the council, not later than December 1, 2006, to prepare and submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature a report containing the council's recommendations for improving the coordination and collaboration of child abuse and neglect prevention and early intervention programs and services among state agencies and the council's recommendation regarding whether to continue the council.
Sec. 266.002. EXPIRATION OF CHAPTER. Provides that this chapter expires September 1, 2007.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.