Senator Kolkhorst moved and the Senate approved a committee substitute to House Bill 140, creating a public advisory committee to study and recommend improvements to child-protective investigations conducted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

The measure directs DFPS to establish an advisory committee on child-protective investigations composed of subject-matter experts, practitioners and department members to review investigative processes, due-process compliance and policies affecting parents and children. The committee will accept public comments at its meetings, the sponsor said.

Senator Kolkhorst said the panel "will be comprised of 13 members appointed by the commissioner of DFPS" and described membership that may include "a parent that has been involved in a CPS legal case, a district judge, a county or district attorney, attorneys that represent children and parents, a member of law enforcement, and members of the department's investigative team." She said the committee aims to improve consistency and accuracy across the state's child-protective investigations.

The bill text amends chapter 40 of the Texas Human Resources Code by adding a new section to establish the advisory committee and its duties, including studying investigation procedures and recommending changes to protect due-process rights of individuals subject to investigations. Kolkhorst told the Senate the panel will provide a public forum for discussion about investigations and allow members of the public to offer comments at committee meetings.

Senator Kolkhorst characterized the bill as having been "kind of a quiet under the radar bill, but a super important bill" and said she and other senators had worked on it in the interim; she also referenced Representative Noble as a House sponsor who worked on the measure. The Senate passed the committee substitute, then approved final passage by a vote of 31 ayes, 0 nays.

The bill's next procedural steps are enrollment and transmission to the governor; committee membership and meeting schedules will be set after the bill becomes law.