House Bill 140: CPI Advisory Committee
Formally established in state law in 2025, House Bill 140 (89th Texas Legislature) created the specialized 13-member Child Protective Investigations Advisory Committee. The committee is composed of appointees from state leadership, DFPS officials, judicial representation, frontline investigative staff, and individuals with lived or professional experience, reflecting a deliberate effort to bring diverse perspectives into child investigations. The committee has a targeted oversight mission, focusing on procedural improvement, consistency, and accountability within DFPS Child Protection Investigations.
HB 140 establishes the CPI Advisory Committee within the Texas DFPS to:
- Standardize investigative policies and procedures across all regions.
- Improve accuracy, fairness, and legal compliance in investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
- Protect due process rights of individuals subject to DFPS investigations.
- Enhance coordination with legal advocates and courts.
- Provide a transparent forum for public input and accountability.
- Monitor investigative training, data collection, and outcomes.
About the Committee
The CPI Investigations Advisory Committee meets quarterly and is subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act. The committee is required to receive public testimony and provides a period for public comment during at least one meeting each year. It may also hold closed sessions to review anonymized case information from a random sample of closed child protective investigations provided by the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).
The committee reviews investigation practices and case information to assess the application of investigative policies and procedures. It must present recommendations aimed at improving the quality and consistency of child protective investigations and address barriers to standardization and compliance.
Each year, the committee must submit an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, members of the Legislature, and the DFPS Commissioner. This report is published on DFPS’s website and includes statewide and regional data on investigations (such as call volume, completed investigations, case dispositions, removals and foster placements, administrative reviews, and investigation timelines), identified challenges, and the committee’s recommendations for improving investigative practices and accountability.
Recruitment: Appointment, Terms & Vacancies
The committee’s structure is designed to balance leadership, professional expertise, and community perspective while ensuring transparency and continuity in the oversight of DFPS investigations.
All appointments are by designation. The law assigns specific seats to appointing authorities and requires members to meet defined qualifications, such as judicial experience, DFPS investigative expertise, or relevant professional or lived experience. DFPS employees serve as non-voting members, and conflict-of-interest rules require recusals when appropriate.
Interested in Becoming a Committee Member?
Individuals interested in serving should express interest to the appropriate appointing authorities such as the Governor’s Office, Lieutenant Governor’s Office, Speaker of the House, or the office of the DFPS Commissioner—particularly when a vacancy arises or a term is nearing expiration. Appointments are based on demonstrated experience, subject-matter expertise, or lived experience that aligns with the specific statutory seat.
Qualified candidates within the purview of the DFPS Commissioner may apply for eligible committee positions. The selection committee will then determine if an invitation to interview will be extended. The interview process ensures that prospective candidates meet the required qualifications. Applicants who complete the interview will then be subject to the Commissioner’s selection and appointment.
Terms: DFPS Members of the CPI Advisory Committee serve staggered terms to ensure continuity of experience and oversight, and re-appointment is permitted when allowed by the appointing authority.
Vacancies: Committee Vacancies are filled by the same authority that made the original appointment (the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, or the DFPS Commissioner). A person appointed to fill a vacancy serves only the remainder of the unexpired term, maintaining the committee’s staggered structure.
Please contact us for more information
Committee Roster
| Member Name | Role / Expertise | Appointing Authority |
Function / Perspective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judge Ryan D. Larson | Chair / District Judge | Governor | Committee leader/ Judicial Perspective |
| Laura Fidelie | Vice Chair / Attorney representing children, families, & caregivers | Lieutenant Governor | Supports chair, presides in chair’s absence / Family Advocate |
| Rachel Li | Speaker’s Appointee/ Attorney – Representing Children and Families | Speaker of the House (State of Texas) | House leadership / Family and Child Advocate |
| Judge Terrance Davis | District Judge experienced in parent-child cases | Governor | Judicial perspective |
| Lindsey Van Buskrik | DFPS Oversight Official — DFPS executive responsible for child protective investigations | DFPS Commissioner | Internal agency (non-voting) |
| Jarita Wharton | CPI Regional Director of Investigations | DFPS Commissioner | Management & field operations (non-voting) |
| Cleveland Jackson | Child Protective Investigations Supervisor | DFPS Commissioner | DFPS Practitioner– urban area (non-voting) |
| Stephanie Loewe | Child Protective Investigations Supervisor | DFPS Commissioner | DFPS Practitioner- rural area (non-voting) |
| Carrissa Cook | Parent/Caregiver | DFPS Commissioner | Lived experience |
| Matt Waller | Parent / Caregiver | DFPS Commissioner | Lived experience |
| Daphny Milligan | Parent / Caregiver | DFPS Commissioner | Lived experience |
| Megan Barcak | County Attorney | DFPS Commissioner | Prosecutorial perspective |
| Vacant | Attorney- representing parents/caregivers in child protective legal cases | DFPS Commissioner | Parent/caregiver advocate |
Upcoming Meetings
| Date | Venue | Agenda |
|---|---|---|
| March 26th, 2026 | Brown – Heatly Public Hearing Room #1400 | View or download the meeting agenda |
| June 25th, 2026 | Brown – Heatly Public Hearing Room #1400 | View or download the meeting agenda |
| September 25th, 2026 | Brown – Heatly Public Hearing Room #1400 | - |
| December 18th, 2026 | Brown – Heatly Public Hearing Room #1400 | - |
Public Testimony
In person public testimony will be permitted during specifically noticed open sessions of the DFPS CPI Advisory Committee. If you would like to give public testimony in-person at a qualified meeting, you may register to appear before the Committee. If you would like to submit written comments, you may email them to the CPI Advisory Committee mailbox.
Past Meetings
| Date | Meeting Minutes | Webcast Recording |
|---|---|---|
| 3/26/26 | Meeting Minutes | Webcast Recording |
| 6/25/26 | Meeting Minutes (*Pending) |
Webcast Recording |
| 9/25/26 | Meeting Minutes (*Pending) |
Webcast Recording (*Pending) |
| 12/18/26 | Meeting Minutes (*Pending) |
Webcast Recording (*Pending) |
Annual Reports
Not available at this time.
Contact Us
| Director of Leadership, Staff Development & Initiatives | Angela Pie | (512) 438-4773 |
| Director of Initiatives | Magdalena “Maggie” Salinas | (512) 460-7406 |
| CPI Operations Program Management Specialist | Roman Lomas | (512) 838-1547 |
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