By: Nichols S.B. No. 1129
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to membership on and reporting requirements of the child
fatality review team committee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subsections (b) and (c), Section 264.502, Family
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) The members of the committee who serve under Subsections
(a)(1) through (3) shall select the following additional committee
members:
(1) a criminal prosecutor involved in prosecuting
crimes against children;
(2) a sheriff;
(3) a justice of the peace;
(4) a medical examiner;
(5) a police chief;
(6) a pediatrician experienced in diagnosing and
treating child abuse and neglect;
(7) a child educator;
(8) a child mental health provider;
(9) a public health professional;
(10) a child protective services specialist;
(11) a sudden infant death syndrome family service
provider;
(12) a neonatologist;
(13) a child advocate;
(14) a chief juvenile probation officer;
(15) a child abuse prevention specialist;
(16) a representative of the Department of Public
Safety; [and]
(17) a representative of the Texas Department of
Transportation;
(18) a representative of emergency medical service
providers; and
(19) a provider of services to victims of family
violence.
(c) Members of the committee selected under Subsection (b)
serve three-year terms with the terms of [five or] six or seven
members, as appropriate, expiring February 1 each year.
SECTION 2. Subsection (f), Section 264.503, Family Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(f) Not later than April 1 of each year, the [The]
committee shall issue a report containing aggregate data collected
by review teams regarding [for] each preventable child death[. The
report must include findings related to the child's death],
recommendations on how to prevent similar deaths, and details
surrounding the department's involvement with the child prior to
the child's death. The [Not later than April 1 of each year, the]
committee shall [publish a compilation of the reports published
under this subsection during the year,] submit a copy of the report
[compilation] to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the
house of representatives, and department, and make the report
[compilation] available to the public. Not later than October 1 of
each year, the department shall submit a written response on the
report [compilation] from the previous year to the committee,
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
representatives describing which of the committee's
recommendations regarding the operation of the child protective
services system the department will implement and the methods of
implementation.
SECTION 3. The members of the child fatality review team
committee under Subsection (a), Section 264.502, Family Code,
responsible for selecting the additional members of the committee
required by Subsection (b), Section 264.502, Family Code, as
amended by this Act, shall make those appointments not later than
November 1, 2009.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.