| 1 | 1 | | By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1644 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the availability on the Internet of certain information |
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| 7 | 7 | | regarding the child protective services functions of the Department |
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| 8 | 8 | | of Family and Protective Services. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 40.03052 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 40.03052. PUBLIC ACCESS TO CERTAIN DEPARTMENT DATA. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) The commissioner shall make available to the public, |
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| 14 | 14 | | through the department's Internet website, certain statistical |
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| 15 | 15 | | information maintained by the department and of interest to the |
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| 16 | 16 | | public regarding the child protective services program |
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| 17 | 17 | | administered by the department. The department shall consult with |
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| 18 | 18 | | interested stakeholders in determining the data elements to be |
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| 19 | 19 | | published that shall include but not be limited to: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) the number and percentage of children who the |
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| 21 | 21 | | department is aware: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (i) are placed with relatives by a parent as |
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| 23 | 23 | | a result of: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (a) an investigation; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (b) the parent's participation in |
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| 26 | 26 | | family-based safety services when: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (1) this placement is included |
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| 28 | 28 | | in the family's safety plan; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) the department does a |
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| 30 | 30 | | background check on the relative with whom the child is to be |
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| 31 | 31 | | placed; or |
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| 32 | 32 | | (3) the department seeks a court |
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| 33 | 33 | | order to require the parent to participate in family based safety |
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| 34 | 34 | | services. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (ii) are returned to foster care from a |
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| 36 | 36 | | relative placement due to the relative's financial hardship. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (b) The department shall modify current policies to ensure |
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| 38 | 38 | | that the data is collected in the least burdensome manner possible |
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| 39 | 39 | | that does not compromise the integrity and relevancy of the data. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) The system developed under this section must: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) provide information in a summarized format easily |
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| 42 | 42 | | understood by the public; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) allow users to search, sort, and download the |
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| 44 | 44 | | information. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (d) The information published on the department's Internet |
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| 46 | 46 | | website as provided by this section must: |
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| 47 | 47 | | (1) be updated at least quarterly; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (2) be organized appropriately based on subject matter |
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| 49 | 49 | | and easily accessible from a clearly identified location on the |
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| 50 | 50 | | Internet website; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (3) include data aggregated at both the statewide and |
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| 52 | 52 | | administrative region levels. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (e) The department shall make the information maintained |
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| 54 | 54 | | under this section available, other than information that is |
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| 55 | 55 | | required by law to be confidential. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009 for |
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| 57 | 57 | | department data included on the website as of that date. |
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