Honorable Patrick M. Rose, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1315 by Ortiz, Jr. (Relating to access to information regarding reports of child abuse or neglect.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require agencies other than the Department of Family and Protective Services and the Texas Youth Commission that investigate a report of child abuse abuse or neglect to provide information concerning the investigation to the parent, managing conservator, or legal representative of the child who is the subject of the report, or to the child if the child is at least 18 years of age. The agencies must redact identifying or confidential information prior to releasing the information. The Department of Aging and Disability Services, the Department of State Health Services, and the Health and Human Sevices Commission indicate that any cost to implement provisions of the bill would be minimal and can be absorbed within available resources.
Local Government Impact
The bill would require a law enforcement agency investigating a report of abuse or neglect to provide information concerning the investigation to certain parties who request the information. The bill would require a custodian of the information to redact any personally identifiable or otherwise confidential information prior to allowing the information to be inspected or copied. There would be some administrative costs to local entities; however, those costs are not anticipated to be significant.
Source Agencies:
529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 539 Aging and Disability Services, Department of