Texas DPS must maintain a child safety check alert list and related agencies must notify each other when a child or family cannot be located for certain child-protection purposes.
Sec. 261.3022. CHILD SAFETY CHECK ALERT LIST. (a) The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas shall maintain a child safety check alert list as part of the Texas Crime Information Center to help locate a child or the child's family for purposes of: (1) investigating a report of child abuse or neglect; (2) providing protective services to a family receiving family-based support services; or (3) providing protective services to the family of a child in the managing conservatorship of the department. (b) If the department is unable to locate a child or the child's family for a purpose described by Subsection (a) after the department has attempted to locate the child for not more than 20 days, the department shall notify the Texas Department of Public Safety that the department is unable to locate the child or the child's family. The notice must include the information required by Subsections (c)(1)-(10). (c) On receipt of the notice from the department, the Texas Department of Public Safety shall notify the Texas Crime Information Center to place the child and the child's family on a child safety check alert list. The alert list must include the following information if known or readily available: (1) the name, sex, race, date of birth, any known identifying numbers, including social security number and driver's license number, and personal descriptions of the family member alleged to have abused or neglected a child according to the report the department is attempting to investigate; (2) the name, sex, race, date of birth, any known identifying numbers, including social security number and driver's license number, and personal descriptions of any parent, managing conservator, or guardian of the child who cannot be located for the purposes described by Subsection (a); (3) the name, sex, race, date of birth, any known identifying numbers, including social security number and driver's license number, and personal descriptions of the child who is the subject of the report or is receiving services described by Subsection (a)(2) or (3); (4) if applicable, a code identifying the type of child abuse or neglect alleged or determined to have been committed against the child; (5) the family's last known address; (6) any known description of the motor vehicle, including the vehicle's make, color, style of body, model year, and vehicle identification number, in which the child is suspected to be transported; (7) the case number assigned by the department; (8) the department's dedicated law-enforcement telephone number for statewide intake; (9) the date and time when and the location where the child was last seen; and (10) any other information required for an entry as established by the center. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 268 (S.B. 6), Sec. 1.22, eff. September 1, 2005. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1056 (H.B. 2053), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1202 (S.B. 1406), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.