By: Uresti S.B. No. 190     (Wu)           A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the administrative closure of certain reported cases of   child abuse or neglect made to the Department of Family and   Protective Services.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 261, Family Code, is   amended by adding Section 261.3017 to read as follows:          Sec. 261.3017.  ABBREVIATED INVESTIGATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE   CLOSURE OF CERTAIN CASES.  (a)  A department caseworker may refer a   reported case of child abuse or neglect to a department supervisor   for abbreviated investigation or administrative closure at any time   before the 60th day after the date the report is received if:                (1)  there is no prior report of abuse or neglect of the   child who is the subject of the report;                (2)  the department has not received an additional   report of abuse or neglect of the child following the initial   report; and                (3)  either:                      (A)  after contacting a professional or other   credible source, the caseworker determines that the child's safety   can be assured without further investigation, response, services,   or assistance; or                      (B)  the caseworker determines that no abuse or   neglect occurred.          (b)  A department supervisor shall review each reported case   of child abuse or neglect that has remained open for more than 60   days and administratively close the case if the supervisor   determines that the circumstances described by Subsections   (a)(1)-(3) exist and that closing the case would not expose the   child to an undue risk of harm.          (c)  A department supervisor may reassign a reported case of   child abuse or neglect that does not qualify for abbreviated   investigation or administrative closure under Subsection (a) or (b)   to a different department caseworker if the supervisor determines   that reassignment would allow the department to make the most   effective use of resources to investigate and respond to reported   cases of abuse or neglect.          (d)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary   to implement this section.          (e)  In this section, "professional" means an individual who   is licensed or certified by the state or who is an employee of a   facility licensed, certified, or operated by the state and who, in   the normal course of official duties or duties for which a license   or certification is required, has direct contact with children.     The term includes teachers, nurses, doctors, day-care employees,   employees of a clinic or health care facility that provides   reproductive services, juvenile probation officers, and juvenile   detention or correctional officers.          SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2017, the executive   commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall   adopt the rules necessary to implement Section 261.3017, Family   Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2017.