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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notification and disclosure of records and information |
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concerning an investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect to |
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county or district attorneys. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 261.1055, Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 261.1055. NOTIFICATION AND RELEASE OF CERTAIN |
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INFORMATION TO COUNTY OR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. (a) The [A district |
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attorney may inform the department that the district attorney |
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wishes to receive notification of some or all reports of suspected |
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abuse or neglect of children who were in the county at the time the |
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report was made or who were in the county at the time of the alleged |
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abuse or neglect. |
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[(b) If the district attorney makes the notification under |
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this section, the] department shall, on receipt of a report of |
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suspected abuse or neglect, immediately notify a county or [the] |
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district attorney with jurisdiction to investigate or prosecute the |
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reported abuse or neglect of the report. |
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(b) On request by the county or district attorney, [as |
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requested and] the department shall forward a copy of the report of |
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abuse or neglect and all information concerning the investigation |
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of the reported abuse or neglect, including information that is |
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confidential under Section 261.201, [reports] to the county or |
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district attorney [on request]. |
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(c) The information released by the department to a county |
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or district attorney under Subsection (b) is not subject to public |
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release by the county or district attorney under Chapter 552, |
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Government Code, and may only be disclosed for purposes consistent |
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with Articles 39.14, 39.15, and 39.151, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |