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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Joint Committee on Child |
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Welfare. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Committee" means the Joint Committee on Child |
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Welfare. |
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(3) "Community-based care" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 264.152, Family Code. |
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(4) "Department" means the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services. |
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(b) The Joint Committee on Child Welfare is composed of nine |
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voting members as follows: |
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(1) three members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) three members of the senate, appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor; and |
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(3) three members of the house of representatives, |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. |
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(c) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall each appoint a member described by Subsection |
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(b)(2) or (3) of this section, respectively, to serve as joint |
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chairs of the committee. |
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(d) The committee shall meet at least quarterly at the call |
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of the joint chairs and may consider public testimony. |
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(e) The committee may employ persons necessary to carry out |
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this section through funds made available by the legislature. |
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(f) The committee shall monitor and report to the |
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legislature on the following related to the implementation of |
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community-based care and the federal Family First Prevention |
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Services Act (Title VII, Div. E, Pub. L. No. 115-123): |
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(1) all sources of funding for the continued |
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implementation of community-based care and family preservation and |
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other related prevention services; |
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(2) a timeline for the complete implementation of |
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community-based care and additional resources the department will |
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require to meet that timeline, including enhanced training related |
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to procurement, contract monitoring and enforcement services, |
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information technology services, and financial and legal services; |
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(3) barriers to using federal and state money and |
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necessary purchased services to achieve greater numbers of children |
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and youth who remain safely with their families by reviewing and |
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effectively maximizing: |
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(A) the prevention and early intervention |
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services currently available in this state; and |
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(B) any services relating to families entering |
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the child protective services system; |
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(4) the placement of children in settings eligible for |
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federal financial participation under the requirements of the |
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federal Family First Prevention Services Act; |
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(5) any other beneficial programs or services |
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available under the federal Family First Prevention Services Act; |
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and |
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(6) legislative or regulatory barriers to full |
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implementation of community-based care. |
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(g) The committee may request relevant information from the |
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commission, the department, or other relevant state agencies, and |
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the commission, the department, or other agencies shall comply with |
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the request, unless the provision of the information is prohibited |
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by state or federal law. |
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(h) The committee shall submit a written report described by |
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Subsection (f) of this section to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each |
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member of the standing committees of the senate and house of |
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representatives having primary jurisdiction over child welfare |
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issues not later than September 1, 2020. |
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(i) The committee shall monitor the continued |
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implementation of community-based care and family preservation and |
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other related prevention services, and the implementation plan |
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developed by the department under Section 264.153, Family Code. |
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(j) The committee shall submit a final evaluation of the |
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implementation of community-based care to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and each member of the standing committees of the senate and house |
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of representatives having primary jurisdiction over child welfare |
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issues not later than December 30, 2024. |
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(k) The committee is abolished and this Act expires December |
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31, 2024. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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* * * * * |