| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to reporting the serious bodily injury of a child; |
|
|
providing a criminal penalty. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 261.101, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a-1) A person shall immediately make a report as provided |
|
|
by this subchapter if the person knows that: |
|
|
(1) a child suffered a serious bodily injury, as |
|
|
defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code; and |
|
|
(2) the serious bodily injury was caused by abuse or |
|
|
neglect. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 261.109, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsections (a-2) and (b-1) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a-2) A person commits an offense if the person is required |
|
|
to make a report under Section 261.101(a-1) and knowingly fails to |
|
|
make a report as provided in this chapter. |
|
|
(b-1) An offense under Subsection (a-2) is a state jail |
|
|
felony unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the child |
|
|
was younger than seven years of age and died as a result of the |
|
|
serious bodily injury, in which event the offense is a third degree |
|
|
felony. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |