Eleven months. That’s how long Ashley and Daniel Pardo were listed on the Texas Child Abuse Registry after Child Protective Services (CPS) had cleared them of wrongdoing, returned their four-year-old son, and dismissed their case.
In Texas, there are three general findings that CPS can make about a parent during an investigation of abuse or neglect:
- there is a reason to believe that abuse or neglect occurred
- that the allegations have been ruled out
- that CPS is unable to determine whether the allegations are true.
The Texas Administrative Code requires CPS to place a person’s name on the Child Abuse Registry whenever it makes a finding that there is a reason to believe the person committed abuse or neglect (regardless of whether CPS ever proceeds with the case).
Because this finding is made during the investigative process, a person’s name is automatically placed on the Child Abuse Registry without any judicial oversight. Even if a judge later dismisses the CPS case, the person’s name remains on the registry.
Ashley and Daniel Pardo remained on the Child Abuse Registry for nearly a year after CPS dismissed its own case against them. It was only through a complicated legal process (which took months to navigate) that they were eventually removed from a list on which they should have never been.
Unfortunately, many parents may not be able to seek removal from the registry because they don’t know they’re on it.
CPS does not always contact a parent who is reported for abuse or neglect. During CPS’s investigation, therefore, a parent may never know that he or she was even investigated for child abuse or neglect — much less that he or she listed on the Child Abuse Registry.
These situations are exactly the types of issues that HB 1190 by Representative Krause and SB 1603 by Senator Kolkhorst would remedy. The bill would prohibit CPS from placing a person’s name on the registry unless a judge permitted them to do so. It would also simplify the complicated process for removing a person’s name from the registry.
In doing so, the bill provides due process protections to parents who have been wrongly accused of abuse or neglect and prevents CPS from prematurely labeling loving parents as “child abusers.”
Your support empowers THSC to work to clear the names of innocent parents, keeping them from being harassed and wrongfully classified as child abusers!
To receive updates about HB 1190/SB 1603 and other important legislation, text “TXHOMESCHOOL” to 919191 and be part of Keeping Texas Families Free!
Eleven months. That’s how long Ashley and Daniel Pardo were listed on the Texas Child Abuse Registry after Child Protective Services (CPS) had cleared them of wrongdoing, returned their four-year-old son, and dismissed their case.
In Texas, there are three general findings that CPS can make about a parent during an investigation of abuse or neglect:
- there is a reason to believe that abuse or neglect occurred
- that the allegations have been ruled out
- that CPS is unable to determine whether the allegations are true.
The Texas Administrative Code requires CPS to place a person’s name on the Child Abuse Registry whenever it makes a finding that there is a reason to believe the person committed abuse or neglect (regardless of whether CPS ever proceeds with the case).
Because this finding is made during the investigative process, a person’s name is automatically placed on the Child Abuse Registry without any judicial oversight. Even if a judge later dismisses the CPS case, the person’s name remains on the registry.
Ashley and Daniel Pardo remained on the Child Abuse Registry for nearly a year after CPS dismissed its own case against them. It was only through a complicated legal process (which took months to navigate) that they were eventually removed from a list on which they should have never been.
Unfortunately, many parents may not be able to seek removal from the registry because they don’t know they’re on it.
CPS does not always contact a parent who is reported for abuse or neglect. During CPS’s investigation, therefore, a parent may never know that he or she was even investigated for child abuse or neglect — much less that he or she listed on the Child Abuse Registry.
These situations are exactly the types of issues that HB 1190 by Representative Krause and SB 1603 by Senator Kolkhorst would remedy. The bill would prohibit CPS from placing a person’s name on the registry unless a judge permitted them to do so. It would also simplify the complicated process for removing a person’s name from the registry.
In doing so, the bill provides due process protections to parents who have been wrongly accused of abuse or neglect and prevents CPS from prematurely labeling loving parents as “child abusers.”
Your support empowers THSC to work to clear the names of innocent parents, keeping them from being harassed and wrongfully classified as child abusers!
To receive updates about HB 1190/SB 1603 and other important legislation, text “TXHOMESCHOOL” to 919191 and be part of Keeping Texas Families Free!
