Seldom are things at the Texas Capitol in Austin so clear and nonpartisan as they are with the direction we need to take with the deeply troubled Texas Youth Commission. The agency and its board of directors need to be taken over by an independent conservator right now.

Over the past several years, troubled Texas youth in the custody of the Commission have been sexually abused by TYC personnel. Employees and senior managers have committed some of the most heinous sexual misconduct possible; and agency officials have covered up abuse and ignored complaints by employee whistleblowers and young victims.

Sexual misconduct by TYC staffers with Texas youth has occurred in at least three TYC facilities — and likely in more. Incredibly, guilty employees have been promoted, reassigned or allowed to resign without other consequences. An internal TYC administrative review was altered to hide the inactions of TYC senior officials. A Texas Ranger report of specific wrongdoing at one facility was seen by the Texas Attorney General, senior DPS personnel, TYC administrators, the U.S. Department of Justice and even Gov. Rick Perry's office, and yet no one has been arrested.

The Texas Senate unanimously called on Gov. Perry to appoint a new independent conservator to take over operation of the TYC from its board; a board which Perry appointed. Perry ignored this request. Then the Legislative Audit Committee, made up of members of the Texas House and Senate, also voted unanimously to recommend that Perry appoint a conservator to take over responsibilities from the board; again Perry declined, and instead appointed a long time political ally as a "special master" to advise the existing board. This week, the newly appointed, bipartisan Select Committee on the TYC, also made up of members of the House and the Senate, voted that Perry should remove all TYC board members. Perry's response — that any board members without sufficient time to devote to the matter should resign — is unacceptable. This problem is not about time management; it is about doing everything possible to protect Texas kids and punish wrongdoers. It is simply incredible that Gov. Perry insists on leaving in charge the very people who were in charge during all of the sexual misconduct and cover up.

This coming week, the Texas Legislature will have an opportunity to pass legislation that forces Perry to appoint an independent conservator to temporarily run TYC and get the ship back in order. The Texas House will also have the chance to require the appointment of a nonpartisan special prosecutor to investigate all the sexual misconduct and the cover-up surrounding it. These bills are bipartisan bills filed by myself and Republican State Rep. Tommy Merritt, a former federal peace officer.

Texans are sick of politicians in Austin who can not seem to get anything done. However, when it comes to reforming the Texas Youth Commission, the vast majority of folks in the Legislature agree. We need to put a stop to all sexual abuse of kids in the care of the TYC, immediately fire the failed TYC board of directors, and get to the bottom of who knew what and when they knew it. Unfortunately, by refusing to fire the TYC board and appoint an independent conservator, Gov. Perry is standing in the way of a bipartisan effort to do just that.

State Representative Jim Dunnam represents parts of McLennan County, as well as Madison, Leon, Falls and Robertson Counties. Dunnam also serves as the House Democratic Leader.