HB 453 — Notification

90R2005 RAL-D By: Curry H.B. No. 453 relating to notification and disclosure to county or district attorneys of records and information concerning reports of child abuse or neglect and investigations of certain reports of child abuse or neglect.

SECTION 1. Section 261.1055, Family Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 261.1055. NOTIFICATION AND RELEASE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION TO COUNTY OR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. (a) A county or district attorney may inform the department that the county or district attorney wishes to receive notification of some or all reports of suspected abuse or neglect of children who were in the county at the time the report was made or who were in the county at the time of the alleged abuse or neglect. (b) If the county or district attorney makes the notification under Subsection (a) [ this section ], the department shall, on receipt of a report of suspected abuse or neglect, immediately notify the county or district attorney as requested and the department shall forward a copy of the reports to the county or district attorney on request. (c) If the conduct that is the subject of an investigation of abuse or neglect constitutes an offense against a child under one of the following provisions of the Penal Code, on the arrest of a person for the offense a county or district attorney may request a copy of the report of the abuse or neglect investigation prepared by the department under Section 261.308 and all available information concerning the investigation: (1) Section 19.02 (murder); (2) Section 19.03 (capital murder); (3) Section 19.04 (manslaughter); (4) Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8) (trafficking of persons); (5) Section 21.02 (continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual); (6) Section 21.11 (indecency with a child); (7) Section 22.011 (sexual assault); (8) Section 22.02 (aggravated assault); (9) Section 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault); (10) Section 22.04 (injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual); (11) Section 22.041 (abandoning or endangering a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual); (12) Section 25.02 (prohibited sexual conduct); (13) Section 43.05(a)(2) (compelling prostitution); (14) Section 43.25 (sexual performance by a child); or (15) Section 43.26 (possession or promotion of child pornography). (d) If a county or district attorney makes a request under Subsection (c), the department shall forward a copy of the investigation report and any available information requested, including information that is confidential under Section 261.201, not later than the 30th day after the date of the request. (e) The investigation report and information released by the department to a county or district attorney under Subsection (d) is not subject to public release by the county or district attorney under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may only be disclosed for purposes consistent with Articles 39.14, 39.15, and 39.151, Code of Criminal Procedure.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.