TX SB425

Creates a 13-member Child and Adult Protective Investigations Advisory Committee within the Department of Family and Protective Services to improve accuracy and standardization of abuse, neglect, and exploitation investigations

Committee membership includes representatives from the governor's office (chair), lieutenant governor's office (vice chair), speaker's office, DFPS officials, a district judge, investigators from rural and urban regions, a parent/caregiver who has been involved in a CPS case, and legal professionals

Advisory committee must develop policies and procedures to ensure due process compliance, consistent investigation practices across all jurisdictions regardless of race, gender, age, or socioeconomic status, and effective training for investigative employees

Committee must meet quarterly with public testimony, live-stream meetings online, and archive recordings on the department's website for seven years

Annual report due August 31st must include statewide and regional data on investigations, removals, foster care placements, caseloads per investigator, complaints filed, and recommendations for addressing identified challenges

Advisory committee is abolished and the statute expires on September 1, 2029