Houston area State Representative Kevin Brady presented a package of
purposed legislation today to deal with child abuse and child advocacy
centers.
The following purposed bill could possibly help some of those in Texas
accused of false accusations:
By Brady H.B. No. 2567
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the investigation of certain allegations of child
abuse; providing a penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 34.05, Family Code, is amended by adding
Subsections (h)-(k) to read as follows:
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
investigation of an allegation of child abuse or neglect shall be
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
conducted jointly by an investigator from the department and the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
appropriate local law enforcement agency.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(i) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Education shall provide training in the investigation of child
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
abuse and neglect. Each law enforcement agency in the state shall
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
require that an adequate number of law enforcement officers in the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
agency receive the training under this subsection.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the department determines after an investigation that child abuse
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
or neglect has occurred, the department shall require the suspected
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
offender to leave the residence of the child rather than attempt to
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
remove the child from the residence.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(k) At the request of the family of a child for whom an
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
allegation of abuse is being investigated, the department shall
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
provide that an interview of the child be conducted by a qualified
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
psychologist who is not the same sex as the person alleged to have
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
committed the abuse.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 34, Family Code, is amended
by adding Sections 34.056-34.059 to read as follows:
Sec. 34.056. INVESTIGATION GUIDELINES. The department by
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
rule shall adopt guidelines to be followed by an investigator when
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
interviewing a child for whom an allegation of abuse or neglect is
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
being investigated.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sec. 34.057. DOCUMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE OF EVIDENCE. (a)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The department shall document and maintain evidence obtained during
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
an investigation of the abuse or neglect of a child to ensure that
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the evidence may be used in a proceeding that results from the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
investigation.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(b) The department shall adopt rules providing standards for
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the documentation and maintenance of evidence under this section.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sec. 34.058. REVIEW TEAMS; OFFENSE. (a) The department
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
shall establish review teams composed of community representatives
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
and private citizens to evaluate department casework and decision-
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
making related to investigations by the department of child abuse.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The department may create a sufficient number of review teams to
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
accomplish the goals of this section.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(b) A review team consists of five members who serve
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
staggered two-year terms. Review team members are appointed as
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
follows:
^^^^^^^
(1) two members of each team are appointed by one or
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
more senators who represent a district for which the review team is
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
created;
^^^^^^^
(2) two members of each team are appointed by one or
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
more members of the house of representatives who represent a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
district for which the review team is created; and
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(3) one member of each team is selected by majority
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
vote of the commissioners court members for the counties for which
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the review team is created.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(c) A review team conducting a review of an investigation
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
shall conduct the review by examining the facts of the case as
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
outlined by the department caseworker and law enforcement
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
personnel. The names of individuals involved in the investigation
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
are confidential.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(d) A member of a review team commits an offense if the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
member discloses confidential information. An offense under this
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
subsection is a Class C misdemeanor.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sec. 34.059. ENFORCEMENT TEAMS. The department shall
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
establish enforcement teams to ensure that the parties to a family
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
service agreement comply with the requirements of the agreement.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
(b) The change in law made by this Act applies to an
investigation of the abuse or neglect of a child for which an
allegation is made to the Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services or a law enforcement agency on or after the effective date
of this Act. An investigation for which an allegation is made
before the effective date of this Act, is governed by the law in
effect at the time the allegation was made, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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