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  89R15504 MM-D     By: Meyer H.B. No. 5607       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to establishing a procedure for the Department of Family   and Protective Services to respond to and issue findings on reports   of abuse or neglect made by certain professionals.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 261, Family Code, is   amended by adding Section 261.1012 to read as follows:           Sec.   261.1012.     ENHANCED DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO REPORT BY   PROFESSIONAL. The department shall establish a procedure for   enhanced response to a report of abuse or neglect made by a   professional under Section 261.101. The procedure must require:                 (1)     the department to contact the professional who   made the report of abuse or neglect by phone as soon as practicable   after receiving the report and before initiating an investigation;                 (2)     the department employee who contacts the   professional under Subdivision (1) to gather additional   information to inform the initiation of the investigation and   investigational procedures;                 (3)     the department to notify the professional who made   the report of abuse or neglect of the department's findings and   decision regarding any investigation resulting from the report;                 (4)     the department to establish a process to allow a   professional who receives information under Subdivision (3) to   request an administrative review of the department's investigation   if the professional believes the investigation was not conducted   appropriately based on the allegation; and                 (5)     the department to automatically dispose of a case   with a finding of reason to believe that abuse or neglect occurred   if the professional's report on which the department's   investigation is based includes evidence that the person who is the   subject of the investigation disclosed to the professional that the   person abused or neglected the child who is the subject of the   professional's report.          SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   a report of suspected abuse or neglect of a child that is made on or   after the effective date of this Act.  A report of suspected abuse   or neglect that is made before that date is governed by the law in   effect on the date the report was made, and that law is continued in   effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.