SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title
5, Family Code, is amended by adding Chapter 266 to
read as follows:
CHAPTER
266. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR
BUILDING
HEALTHY FAMILIES
Sec. 266.001. INTERAGENCY
COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES.
(a) The Interagency Coordinating Council for Building
Healthy Families is established to facilitate communication
and collaboration concerning policies for the prevention
of and early intervention in child abuse and neglect
among state agencies whose programs and services promote
and foster healthy families.
(b) The council consists
of one representative from each of the following agencies
appointed by the executive director or commissioner
of each agency:
(1) the Department
of Family and Protective Services;
(2) the Health
and Human Services Commission;
(3) the Department
of State Health Services;
(4) the Department
of Aging and Disability Services;
(5) the Texas Youth
Commission;
(6) the Texas Education
Agency;
(7) the Texas Workforce
Commission;
(8) the office
of the attorney general;
(9) the Texas Juvenile
Probation Commission; and
(10) the Texas
Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
(c) A representative of
an agency appointed to the council must have an overall
understanding of the agency's mission and purpose and
substantial experience and expertise relating to the
administration of the agency's policies, programs,
and activities.
(d) The representative
from the Department of Family and Protective Services
serves as the presiding officer of the council.
(e) The council shall
meet at least quarterly and shall submit to the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and the legislature the minutes of each council meeting.
(f) Not later than June
1, 2006, the council shall prepare and submit to the
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and the legislature an inventory of the child abuse
and neglect prevention and early intervention policies,
programs, and activities of each agency represented
on the council.
(g) Not later than December
1, 2006, the council shall prepare and submit to the
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and the legislature a report containing the council's
recommendations for improving the coordination and
collaboration of child abuse and neglect prevention
and early intervention programs and services among
state agencies and the council's recommendation regarding
whether to continue the council.
Sec. 266.002. EXPIRATION
OF CHAPTER. This chapter expires September 1, 2007.
SECTION 2. 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, 2005.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker
of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1685
was passed by the House on April 19, 2005, by the following
vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief
Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1685
was passed by the Senate on May 24, 2005, by the following
vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary
of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor