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AN ACT
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relating to the use of an Internet application to allow access by |
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court-appointed volunteer advocates to child protective services |
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case information. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 264.614 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.614. INTERNET APPLICATION FOR CASE TRACKING AND |
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INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. (a) Subject to the availability of |
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money as described by Subsection (c), the department shall develop |
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an Internet application that allows a court-appointed volunteer |
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advocate representing a child in the managing conservatorship of |
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the department to access the child's case file through the |
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department's automated case tracking and information management |
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system and to add the volunteer advocate's findings and reports to |
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the child's case file. |
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(b) The court-appointed volunteer advocate shall maintain |
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the confidentiality required by this chapter and department rule |
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for the information accessed by the advocate through the system |
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described by Subsection (a). |
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(c) The department may use money appropriated to the |
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department and money received as a gift, grant, or donation to pay |
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for the costs of developing and maintaining the Internet |
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application required by Subsection (a). The department may solicit |
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and accept gifts, grants, and donations of any kind and from any |
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source for purposes of this section. |
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(d) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services |
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shall solicit money, if necessary, and develop the Internet |
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application as required by Section 264.614, Family Code, as added |
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by this Act. |
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(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services |
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Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement Section |
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264.614, Family Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1227 was passed by the House on April |
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18, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 1227 on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 1, |
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2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1227 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 17, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |