Honorable James B. Frank, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB4189 by Middleton (Relating to the duty of certain professionals to report child abuse and neglect.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Chapter 261 of the Family Code to require reporting of actual knowledge of the abuse or neglect of a child or that a child has been a victim of indecency with a child, rather than reporting based on having cause to believe an incident has occurred. The bill would require the same threshold for reporting by professionals who have actual knowledge that an adult was a victim of abuse or neglect as a child. The Health and Human Services Commission, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Department of State Health Services, and the Juvenile Justice Department determined that the provisions of the bill could be implemented using existing resources. The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 644 Juvenile Justice Department