S.B. No. 1571
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the release of a child taken into possession by a law
  enforcement officer.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 2.273 to read as follows:
         Art. 2.273.  RELEASE OF CHILD BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.  
  (a)  A law enforcement officer who takes possession of a child
  under Section 262.104, Family Code, may release the child to:
               (1)  a residential child-care facility licensed by the
  Department of Family and Protective Services under Chapter 42,
  Human Resources Code, if the facility is authorized by the
  department to take possession of the child;
               (2)  a juvenile probation department;
               (3)  the Department of Family and Protective Services;
  or
               (4)  any other person authorized by law to take
  possession of the child.
         (b)  Before a law enforcement officer may release a child to
  a person authorized by law to take possession of the child other
  than a governmental entity, the officer shall:
               (1)  verify with the National Crime Information Center
  that the child is not a missing child;
               (2)  search the relevant databases of the National
  Crime Information Center system, including those pertaining to
  protection orders, historical protection orders, warrants, sex
  offender registries, and persons on supervised release to:
                     (A)  verify that the person to whom the child is
  being released:
                           (i)  does not have a protective order issued
  against the person; and
                           (ii)  is not registered as a sex offender
  unless the person is the child's parent or guardian and there are no
  restrictions regarding the person's contact with the child; and
                     (B)  obtain any other information the Department
  of Family and Protective Services considers:
                           (i)  relevant to protect the welfare of the
  child; or
                           (ii)  reflective of the responsibility of
  the person to whom the child is being released;
               (3)  call the Department of Family and Protective
  Services Texas Abuse Hotline to determine whether the person to
  whom the child is being released is listed in the registry as a
  person who abused or neglected a child;
               (4)  verify that the person to whom the child is being
  released is at least 18 years of age; and
               (5)  maintain a record regarding the child's placement,
  including:
                     (A)  identifying information about the child,
  including the child's name or pseudonyms; and
                     (B)  the name and address of the person to whom the
  child is being released.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1571 passed the Senate on
  April 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2017, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1571 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 144,
  Nays 0, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor