CS/HB 7039 Summary

• Creates section 39.101 to establish the central abuse hotline as the first step in child safety assessment and investigation, operating 24/7 through toll-free telephone, written reports, and electronic reporting.

• Requires animal control officers and certain professionals (physicians, teachers, law enforcement, social workers, judges) to provide their names when reporting suspected child abuse to the central abuse hotline.

• Mandates the Department of Children and Families to conduct investigations of sexual abuse reports involving children in out-of-home care, with Secretary creating guidelines and reporting findings to advisory committees.

• Expands access to child abuse and neglect records to include legislative committees upon request within a specified timeframe, and prohibits certain facilities from being used as supervised living arrangements for young adults.

• Establishes a multidisciplinary legal representation model program through offices of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel to serve families in the dependency system, including attorneys, social workers, and parent-peer specialists; requires annual reporting to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.

• Effective July 1, 2021.