THIS CPS REFORM NEEDS TO PASS


As major CPS reform is being considered in Texas, HB 1014 sets forth the best proposals to protect the safety of children, uphold parental rights and establish standards to hold CPS accountable. It should strongly be supported.

For that reason groups such as Texas Eagle Forum, Concerned Women for America, Judicial Watch of the Southwest Region, Texas Home School Coalition, the Home School Legal Defense Association, Family Rights Foundation, and Citizens Commission on Human Rights all support this bill. So do Rep. Suzanna Hupp, Rep. John Davis, Rep. Carl Isett and others mentioned in our previous e-mail.


How does this bill provide for necessary changes? It

        
  puts teeth in the right of parents to designate a placement for their child with a
relative, church-member or friend during a CPS investigation.

        
        affirms the parent’s right to designate all the way through the investigation and the pendency of a law suit until the court terminates the parent-child relationship, appoints a permanent managing conservator or orders the child to be returned to the child’s home.


        gives CPS the opportunity to conduct background checks on designated individuals with specific conduct that would disqualify them in order to protect the children

        
  establishes a child protection plan that includes reasonable restrictions that is to be agreed upon by the caregiver and the department

        
  mandates that interviews of the child shall be audiotaped or videotaped by removing the option of CPS to refrain from doing so for "good cause"

        
  upholds the court, not CPS as the authority for requiring any service plan


Harris County Leadership Council and the Houston Ministers Against Crime deserve great credit for working with Rep. Dutton, the author of the bill, his staff and other minority leaders who support the bill. They all, along with grassroots members of the minority community and poor deserve praise for recognizing how this system of the state has ravaged their families. They have elevated awareness of the problem such that HB 1014 is receiving bipartisan support.

This week the House Committe on Human Services begins looking at Rep. Dutton’s bill along with other CPS legislation on a fast track.

Calls to committee members this week vocalizing your support for HB 1014 will contribute to its success! Committee members can be reached at the following numbers:


Chairwoman Suzanna Hupp 512-463-0786

Vice Chairman Rob Eissler 512-463-0797

Rep. John Davis 512-463-0734

Rep. Elliott Naishtat 512-463-0668

Rep. Elvira Reyna 512-463-0464

Rep. Alma Allen 512-463-0744

Rep. Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles 512-463-0645

Rep. Toby Goodman 512-463-0562

Rep. Ken Paxton 512-463-0356

Voices make a difference in Austin. We appreciate your calling. Let them know one or more reasons you support HB 1014.

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."
- John Philpot Curran