Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Ryan D. Larson as chair and Terence Davis as a member of the Child Protective Investigations Advisory Committee. Their terms will run until September 1, 2029. The committee is tasked with improving how investigative legal requirements and policies are applied during investigations into child abuse, neglect, and exploitation involving those responsible for a child’s care.
Ryan D. Larson serves as the presiding judge of the 395th Judicial District Court in Williamson County, Texas. His previous roles include head administrative law judge at the Railroad Commission of Texas and assistant attorney general in the Texas Attorney General’s Office. He established and leads the Williamson County Family Recovery Court, which focuses on helping families involved in Child Protective Services cases that are affected by substance use and mental health conditions. Larson also founded the Williamson County Community Coalition to support coordinated court outcomes through community partnerships. He is affiliated with several professional organizations including the State Bar of Texas, State Bar of California, Texas Bar Foundation, Williamson County Bar Association, Federalist Society, and Christian Legal Society. Larson earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UCLA and his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School.
Terence Davis is currently judge of the 480th Judicial District Court in Williamson County. Before this role, he owned Davis Law Firm, P.C., and holds board certification in family law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Davis is active in professional groups such as the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section and has held leadership positions with the Williamson County Bar Association and other local organizations. He co-founded both the Williamson County American Inn of Court and Christian Legal Society of Williamson County. Additionally, he serves on the board at Journey Bible Fellowship Church and previously led Block House Municipal Utility District’s board. Davis received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law.
The appointments were made by Governor Abbott, who leads the executive office for Texas. The governor’s office supports initiatives related to economic development, education enhancement, border security efforts—including Operation Lone Star—and child protection measures across Texas (source). Since being elected in 2014 (source), Governor Abbott has focused on job creation, education improvement, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, individual liberties protection, and southern border security (source). The office operates out of Austin at the State Insurance Building (source) as part of the executive branch serving statewide.
The Child Protective Investigations Advisory Committee aims to standardize investigative procedures during child welfare investigations involving individuals responsible for children’s care or custody.
