Sec. 264.408. USE OF INFORMATION AND RECORDS; CONFIDENTIALITY AND OWNERSHIP. (a) The files, reports, records, communications, and working papers used or developed in providing services under this chapter are confidential and not subject to public release under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may only be disclosed for purposes consistent with this chapter. Disclosure may be made to:

(1) the department, department employees, law enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys, medical professionals, and other state or local agencies that provide services to children and families; and

(2) the attorney for the alleged victim who is the subject of the records and a court-appointed volunteer advocate appointed for the alleged victim under Section 107.031.

(b) Information related to the investigation of a report of abuse or neglect under Chapter 261 and to the services provided as a result of the investigation is confidential as provided by Section 261.201.

(c) The department, a law enforcement agency, and a prosecuting attorney may share with a center information that is confidential under Section 261.201 as needed to provide services under this chapter. Confidential information shared with or provided to a center remains the property of the agency that shared or provided the information to the center. A request for confidential information provided to the center under this section must be made to the agency that shared or provided the information.

(d) An electronic recording of an interview with a child or person with a disability that is made by a center is the property of the prosecuting attorney involved in the criminal prosecution of the case involving the child or person. If no criminal prosecution occurs, the electronic recording is the property of the attorney involved in representing the department in a civil action alleging abuse, neglect, or exploitation. If the matter involving the child or person is not prosecuted, the electronic recording is the property of the department if the matter is an investigation by the department of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. If the department is not investigating or has not investigated the matter, the electronic recording is the property of the agency that referred the matter to the center.

(d-1) An electronic recording of an interview described by Subsection (d) is subject to production under Article 39.14, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Rule 615, Texas Rules of Evidence. A court shall deny any request by a defendant to copy, photograph, duplicate, or otherwise reproduce an electronic recording of an interview described by Subsection (d), provided that the prosecuting attorney makes the electronic recording reasonably available to the defendant in the same manner as property or material may be made available to defendants, attorneys, and expert witnesses under Article 39.15(d), Code of Criminal Procedure.

(e) The department shall be allowed access to electronic recordings of interviews of children or persons with a disability.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 575, Sec. 33, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 653 (S.B. 1106), Sec. 4, eff. June 17, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1069 (H.B. 3259), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 299 (S.B. 60), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 396 (S.B. 821), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2019.