HBA-LJP H.B. 1790 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1790
By: Clark
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
2/25/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, when certain cases concerning a child are referred to a
juvenile court, the parent or guardian of the child does not have to be
notified.  As a result, the parent or guardian is often unaware of the
charges being made in a child's case until the case is in juvenile court.
The time span between a case being referred to juvenile court and the
actual hearing may be lengthy, which may not be in the best interest of the
child.  House Bill 1790 requires the person or agency referring the case of
a child to a juvenile court to notify the child's parent or guardian. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1790 amends the Family Code to require a person or agency making
a referral of a case of a child who has not been taken into custody to the
office or official designated by the juvenile court to promptly give notice
of the referral and a statement of the reason for the referral to the
child's parent, guardian, or custodian. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.