HBA-RAR H.B. 159 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 159 By: Wise Juvenile Justice & Family Issues 2/9/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, persons having direct responsibility for the care, custody or welfare of a child who have cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect are required to make a report to an appropriate agency. H.B. 159 requires any adult who has cause to believe that neglect or abuse has occurred to make an immediate report to an appropriate agency. It also requires the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services to develop and implement an advertising campaign to increase public awareness of the new reporting requirements. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 261.101, Family Code, to require any adult, rather than a person, who has cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by any person to make a report immediately as provided in this subchapter. Defines the term "adult." Requires the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services to develop and implement an advertising campaign to increase public awareness of the reporting requirements provided in this subchapter. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.