People with reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect must report it; professionals must report within 24 hours and cannot delegate the report.
Sec. 261.101. PERSONS REQUIRED TO REPORT; TIME TO REPORT. (a) A person having reasonable cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by any person shall immediately make a report as provided by this subchapter. (b) If a professional has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected or may be abused or neglected, or that a child is a victim of an offense under Section 21.11, Penal Code, and the professional has reasonable cause to believe that the child has been abused as defined by Section 261.001, the professional shall make a report not later than the 24th hour after the hour the professional first has reasonable cause to believe that the child has been or may be abused or neglected or is a victim of an offense under Section 21.11, Penal Code. A professional may not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report. In this subsection, "professional" means an individual who is licensed or certified by the state or who is an employee of a facility licensed, certified, or operated by the state and who, in the normal course of official duties or duties for which a license or certification is required, has direct contact with children. The term includes teachers, nurses, doctors, day-care employees, employees of a clinic or health care facility that provides reproductive services, juvenile probation officers, and juvenile detention or correctional officers. (b-1) In addition to the duty to make a report under Subsection (a) or (b), a person or professional shall make a report in the manner required by Subsection (a) or (b), as applicable, if the person or professional has reasonable cause to believe that an adult was a victim of abuse or neglect as a child and the person or professional determines in good faith that disclosure of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of: (1) another child; or (2) an elderly person or person with a disability as defined by Section 48.002, Human Resources Code. (c) The requirement to report under this section applies without exception to an individual whose personal communications may otherwise be privileged, including an attorney, a member of the clergy, a medical practitioner, a social worker, a mental health professional, an employee or member of a board that licenses or certifies a professional, and an employee of a clinic or health care facility that provides reproductive services. (d) Unless waived in writing by the person making the report, the identity of an individual making a report under this chapter is confidential and may be disclosed only: (1) as provided by Section 261.201; (2) to a law enforcement officer for the purposes of conducting a criminal investigation of the report; or (3) to the Texas Education Agency or the State Board for Educator Certification, on request by the agency or board, for the purposes of: (A) conducting an investigation of the report; (B) conducting an investigation of an allegation that a person failed to submit a report as required under this chapter; or (C) compliance monitoring or conducting an investigation or review of an investigation under Section 22A.156, Education Code. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 751, Sec. 87, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 162, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 575, Sec. 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1022, Sec. 65, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 6.29, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1150, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1390, Sec. 21, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 5.003, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 949 (H.B. 1575), Sec. 27, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 395 (S.B. 152), Sec. 4, eff. June 14, 2013. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 1.122, eff. April 2, 2015. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1136 (H.B. 249), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 902 (H.B. 3379), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1138 (S.B. 571), Sec. 1.30, eff. June 20, 2025.