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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reporting information for certain foster children who |
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are missing or are victims of sex trafficking. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 264.123, Family Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.123. REPORTS CONCERNING CHILDREN WHO ARE MISSING |
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OR VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING [CHILD]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 264.123, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read |
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as follows: |
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(f) After a missing child returns to the child's substitute |
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care provider, the department shall interview the child to |
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determine the reasons why the child was missing, [and] where the |
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child stayed during the time the child was missing, and whether, |
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while missing, the child was a victim of conduct that constitutes an |
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offense under Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal Code. The department |
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shall report to an appropriate law enforcement agency any |
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disclosure made by a child that indicates that the child was the |
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victim of a crime during the time the child was missing. The |
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department shall make a report under this subsection not later than |
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24 hours after the time the disclosure is made. The department is |
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not required to interview a missing child under this subsection if, |
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at the time the child returns, the department knows that the child |
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was abducted and another agency is investigating the abduction. |
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(g) The department shall collect information on each child |
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in the department's managing conservatorship who is missing from |
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the child's substitute care provider and on each child who, while in |
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the department's managing conservatorship, is a victim of conduct |
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that constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal Code. |
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The collected information must include information on: |
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(1) whether the managing conservatorship of the |
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department is temporary or permanent; |
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(2) the type of substitute care in which the child is |
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placed; and |
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(3) the child's sex, age, race, and ethnicity and the |
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department region in which the child resides. |
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(h) The department shall prepare an annual report on the |
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information collected under Subsection (g) and make the report |
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available on the department's Internet website. The report may not |
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include any individually identifiable information regarding a |
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child who is the subject of information in the report. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |