89R3641 RAL-D     By: Gervin-Hawkins H.B. No. 1460       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of a task force to locate relatives   and certain individuals and to the procedures for providing notice   to certain individuals on placement of a child in the managing   conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective   Services.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 262, Family Code, is   amended by adding Section 262.1091 to read as follows:          Sec. 262.1091.  TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE RELATIVES   AND CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. (a) In this section:                (1)  "Department" means the Department of Family and   Protective Services.                (2)  "Task force" means the task force created under   this section.          (b)  The department shall establish a task force for the   purpose of identifying and locating:                (1)  relatives of each child who the department or   another governmental entity takes possession of under this chapter;   and                (2)  any individual who has a long-standing and   significant relationship with a child described by Subdivision (1).          (c)  The task force is composed of 15 members as follows:                (1)  one member from the Department of Public Safety,   appointed by the director of the Department of Public Safety;                (2)  one member of the criminal investigations division   of the office of the attorney general, appointed by the attorney   general;                (3)  one member from the municipal police department of   each of the six most populous municipalities in this state,   appointed by the police chief of the municipal police department;   and                (4)  seven members appointed by the commissioner of the   department who must be:                      (A)  active, non-active, or retired police   detectives who have been employed as a detective for at least 10   years and have experience working with special victims; or                      (B)  private investigators who:                            (i)  are licensed in this state;                            (ii)  are in good standing with the   licensing entity;                            (iii)  have at least 10 years of   investigative experience; and                            (iv)  have experience working with special   victims.          (d)  Each appointing authority may confer with the office of   the governor when considering candidates for the task force.          (e)  The task force shall:                (1)  begin locating and identifying each individual   described by Section 262.1095(a) not later than 24 hours after the   department or another governmental entity takes possession of a   child under this chapter;                (2)  use due diligence to identify and locate all   individuals described by Section 262.1095(a) not later than 72   hours after the department files a suit affecting the parent-child   relationship;                (3)  in order to identify and locate the individuals   described by Section 262.1095(a), seek information from:                      (A)  each parent, relative, and alleged father of   the child; and                      (B)  the child in an age-appropriate manner; and                (4)  immediately notify the department when an   individual described by Section 262.1095(a) is identified and   located.          (f)  The failure of a parent or alleged father of the child to   complete the proposed child placement resources form does not   relieve the task force of its duty to seek information from each   person described by Subsection (e)(3) to identify individuals   described by Section 262.1095(a).          (g)  The commissioner of the department and the internal   audit division of the department shall supervise and provide   administrative support to the task force.          SECTION 2.  Section 262.1095, Family Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:          (f)  Not later than 120 hours after the department files a   suit affecting the parent-child relationship, the department shall   report to the child's state representative, the child's state   senator, and the governor:                (1)  whether the department:                      (A)  identified all of the individuals related to   the child within the fourth degree by consanguinity as determined   under Chapter 573, Government Code; and                      (B)  contacted each individual and provided the   information required by Subsection (a); and                (2)  the reason the department failed to contact an   individual described by Subdivision (1)(A).          SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 262, Family Code, is   amended by adding Section 262.117 to read as follows:          Sec. 262.117.  REPORTING INFORMATION ON RELATIVE   PLACEMENTS. Not later than February 1 of each year, the department   shall report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker   of the house of representatives, and each member of the legislature   the following information with respect to cases in which the   department was named managing conservator of a child during the   preceding fiscal year:                (1)  the total percentage of individuals identified as   being related to the child within the fourth degree by   consanguinity as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code, the   department was unable to contact as required by Section 262.1095   and the reason the department was unable to contact each   individual;                (2)  the percentage of children in the conservatorship   of the department who were placed with a relative or other   designated caregiver;                (3)  the percentage of children in the conservatorship   of the department who were placed in foster care;                (4)  the total number of children in the   conservatorship of the department who were placed with a relative   or other designated caregiver;                (5)  the total number of children in the   conservatorship of the department who were placed in foster care   and, for each child, the reasons the department did not place the   child with a relative or other designated caregiver; and                (6)  any legislative or other recommendations to ensure   the department contacts all of a child's relatives identified under   Section 262.1095.          SECTION 4.  Sections 262.1095(d) and (e), Family Code, are   repealed.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.