Texas agency defends actions at FLDS ranch

"It appears that the committee does not plan to protect us in any way so we've chosen not to testify," she said softly.

Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, told the committee he doesn't believe the agency had all the right tools to handle a case as large as that of the ranch.

He introduced a bill to increase penalties for those who fail to report child abuse, increase penalties for failing to properly report births to state vital records officials and lengthen the statute of limitations on bigamy. The committee planned no immediate action on the bill.

"This isn't about the YFZ, but it is about taking the lessons we learned from that experience," said Hilderbran, who represents the rural West Texas county where the FLDS members live. "The safety of the children, no matter the situation, is paramount."

Jeffs, convicted in Utah as an accomplice to rape, awaits trial in Arizona on similar charges. He and 11 other FLDS men also face charges in Texas, ranging from sexual assault of a child to failure to report child abuse.

The child abuse reporting and bigamy bill is HB 4255.