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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duty of certain professionals to report child abuse |
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or neglect. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 261.101(b), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) If a professional has cause to believe that a child has |
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been abused or neglected or may be abused or neglected, or that a |
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child is a victim of an offense under Section 21.11, Penal Code, and |
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the professional has cause to believe that the child has been abused |
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as defined by Section 261.001 or 261.401, the professional shall |
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immediately make a report as provided by this subchapter [not later
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than the 48th hour after the hour the professional first suspects
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that the child has been or may be abused or neglected or is a victim
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of an offense under Section 21.11, Penal Code]. A professional may |
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not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report. In |
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this subsection, "professional" means an individual who is licensed |
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or certified by the state or who is an employee of a facility |
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licensed, certified, or operated by the state and who, in the normal |
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course of official duties or duties for which a license or |
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certification is required, has direct contact with children. The |
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term includes teachers, nurses, doctors, day-care employees, |
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employees of a clinic or health care facility that provides |
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reproductive services, juvenile probation officers, and juvenile |
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detention or correctional officers. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |