By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1644
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the availability on the Internet of certain information
regarding the child protective services functions of the Department
of Family and Protective Services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 40.03052 to read as follows:
Sec. 40.03052. PUBLIC ACCESS TO CERTAIN DEPARTMENT DATA.
(a) The commissioner shall make available to the public,
through the department's Internet website, certain statistical
information maintained by the department and of interest to the
public regarding the child protective services program
administered by the department. The department shall consult with
interested stakeholders in determining the data elements to be
published that shall include but not be limited to:
(1) the number and percentage of children who the
department is aware:
(i) are placed with relatives by a parent as
a result of:
(a) an investigation; or
(b) the parent's participation in
family-based safety services when:
(1) this placement is included
in the family's safety plan;
(2) the department does a
background check on the relative with whom the child is to be
placed; or
(3) the department seeks a court
order to require the parent to participate in family based safety
services.
(ii) are returned to foster care from a
relative placement due to the relative's financial hardship.
(b) The department shall modify current policies to ensure
that the data is collected in the least burdensome manner possible
that does not compromise the integrity and relevancy of the data.
(c) The system developed under this section must:
(1) provide information in a summarized format easily
understood by the public;
(2) allow users to search, sort, and download the
information.
(d) The information published on the department's Internet
website as provided by this section must:
(1) be updated at least quarterly;
(2) be organized appropriately based on subject matter
and easily accessible from a clearly identified location on the
Internet website;
(3) include data aggregated at both the statewide and
administrative region levels.
(e) The department shall make the information maintained
under this section available, other than information that is
required by law to be confidential.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009 for
department data included on the website as of that date.