Bill Text: TX HB4965 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to measures to promote and support responsible fatherhood in this state.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-23 - Referred to Juvenile Justice & Family Issues [HB4965 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4965-Introduced.html
88R9552 MM/PRL/LRM/MLH-D | ||
By: Schatzline | H.B. No. 4965 |
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relating to measures to promote and support responsible fatherhood | ||
in this state. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.9011 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.9011. JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS GRANT | ||
PROGRAM. (a) The commissioner shall establish a pilot program | ||
under which a public secondary school may receive a grant to create, | ||
promote, or expand a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps | ||
program. | ||
(b) A public secondary school is eligible to participate in | ||
and receive a grant under eligibility criteria established by the | ||
commissioner. | ||
(c) The commissioner shall establish application criteria | ||
for receiving a grant under this section. | ||
(d) A public secondary school that receives a grant shall | ||
use the funds to create, promote, or expand a Junior Reserve | ||
Officers' Training Corps program at the school. | ||
(e) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to | ||
administer the pilot program under this section. | ||
(f) After five years, the commissioner shall submit a report | ||
to the governor and the legislature that includes: | ||
(1) an assessment on the effectiveness of the pilot | ||
program at increasing high school graduation rates; and | ||
(2) a recommendation regarding whether the pilot | ||
program should be continued, expanded, or terminated. | ||
(g) This section expires September 1, 2029. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 231.1211, Family Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 231.1211. INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS ON STANDARD | ||
POSSESSION ORDER AND CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGOR RESOURCES. (a) The | ||
Title IV-D agency shall create informational materials that | ||
describe: | ||
(1) the possession schedule under the standard | ||
possession order under Subchapter F, Chapter 153, including any | ||
alternate schedules or elections available to conservators; and | ||
(2) resources available to assist child support | ||
obligors experiencing difficulty with meeting their child support | ||
obligations, including information: | ||
(A) describing career or financial assistance | ||
programs and services available to support unemployed or | ||
underemployed child support obligors; | ||
(B) explaining how to access those programs and | ||
services; and | ||
(C) detailing the process by which a child | ||
support obligor may seek to modify the obligor's child support | ||
obligation. | ||
(b) The Title IV-D agency shall: | ||
(1) make the informational materials described by | ||
Subsection (a) available on the agency's Internet website and | ||
distribute printed copies of those materials on request; and | ||
(2) include information on how to access the | ||
informational materials described by Subsection (a)(2) in any | ||
notice given by the Title IV-D agency to a child support obligor who | ||
is delinquent in the payment of child support. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 264, Family Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 264.1621 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 264.1621. FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT REPORTS. (a) Not | ||
later than March 1, 2024, each single source continuum contractor | ||
or other entity that contracts with the department to provide | ||
community-based care services shall: | ||
(1) evaluate the entity's level of engagement with | ||
fathers; | ||
(2) identify any gaps in service related to engagement | ||
with fathers; | ||
(3) identify viable solutions to resolve any gaps | ||
identified under Subdivision (2); and | ||
(4) report to the department regarding the entity's | ||
findings under this subsection. | ||
(b) Not later than September 1, 2024, the entity described | ||
by Subsection (a) shall implement solutions to address any gaps in | ||
service for fathers identified under Subsection (a)(2). | ||
(c) The department shall: | ||
(1) conduct a semiannual review of each entity | ||
described by Subsection (a) to assess the entity's: | ||
(A) implementation of a plan to address gaps in | ||
service related to engagement with fathers; and | ||
(B) ability to meet the needs of fathers in this | ||
state; | ||
(2) produce a report based on the department's review; | ||
and | ||
(3) make the report available to the public not later | ||
than the 30th day after the date the department completes the | ||
report. | ||
SECTION 4. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter H-1 to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER H-1. PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT FATHERS | ||
Sec. 531.291. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE. (a) In | ||
this section, "initiative" means the Responsible Fatherhood | ||
Initiative established under this section. | ||
(b) The commission, after issuing a request for proposals | ||
and conducting a transparent selection process, shall contract with | ||
a nonprofit organization for the development and implementation of | ||
the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative. The initiative must provide | ||
an opportunity for every father in this state to obtain information | ||
and inspiration that will motivate and enable him to enhance his | ||
abilities as a father and recognize that some fathers have greater | ||
challenges than others and would benefit from greater support. | ||
(c) The initiative must include: | ||
(1) an Internet website and other related electronic | ||
resources that will allow a father to: | ||
(A) obtain information about effective | ||
parenting; | ||
(B) identify areas in which support would enhance | ||
the father's ability to be an effective father; and | ||
(C) connect to the support identified under | ||
Paragraph (B), including support provided by an organization | ||
receiving a grant under Section 531.292; | ||
(2) appropriate materials from the fatherhood media | ||
campaign available through the National Responsible Fatherhood | ||
Clearinghouse; and | ||
(3) print, television, digital, and social media | ||
elements and public events, including appearances by and | ||
involvement from public figures. | ||
(d) To contract with the commission under this section, a | ||
nonprofit organization must be nonpartisan and nonpolitical and | ||
have: | ||
(1) a history of focusing on responsible fatherhood, | ||
including providing online resources to fathers and engaging | ||
fathers, father figures, and children through community-based and | ||
school-based events to encourage responsible fatherhood; and | ||
(2) the organizational capacity to manage a statewide | ||
initiative and successfully carry out the requirements of this | ||
section. | ||
(e) The nonprofit organization with which the commission | ||
contracts under this section shall collaborate with relevant state | ||
agencies and private organizations to develop and implement the | ||
initiative. The commission and other relevant state agencies shall | ||
provide support to the organization as necessary to carry out the | ||
initiative. | ||
Sec. 531.292. GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SUPPORT TO | ||
FATHERS. (a) To the extent money is appropriated to the commission | ||
for that purpose, the commission shall establish a program under | ||
which the commission awards grants to community-based nonprofit | ||
organizations to support fathers in this state by providing | ||
comprehensive support to fathers, including assistance with: | ||
(1) finding employment; | ||
(2) managing child support obligations; | ||
(3) transitioning from a period of incarceration; and | ||
(4) accessing health care. | ||
(b) A community-based nonprofit organization that receives | ||
a grant under this section must provide: | ||
(1) assistance that is tailored to the needs of the | ||
father being served; and | ||
(2) case management services, either directly or by | ||
subcontract, to the father being served. | ||
(c) A grant awarded under this section may be awarded to a | ||
community-based nonprofit organization for not more than three | ||
years. | ||
(d) Not later than the third anniversary of the date the | ||
commission implements the grant program established under this | ||
section, the commission shall submit a report to the governor and | ||
the legislature regarding the results and performance of the grant | ||
program and any recommendations for legislative or other action, | ||
including whether to continue the program. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 531.982, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: | ||
(d) The commission shall implement fatherhood engagement | ||
activities as part of a home visiting program implemented under | ||
this section. The activities may include increased and | ||
individualized support for fathers that is designed to strengthen | ||
the family and increase child well-being. | ||
SECTION 6. Subchapter D, Chapter 662, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 662.116 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 662.116. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD MONTH. (a) June is | ||
Responsible Fatherhood Month to honor a father's contribution to | ||
their child's well-being, safety, and stability. | ||
(b) During Responsible Fatherhood Month, the Health and | ||
Human Services Commission shall at least weekly promote the | ||
importance of fatherhood for the health and welfare of a child | ||
through community engagement events, the news media, the | ||
commission's Internet website and social media platforms, and any | ||
other method the commission uses to communicate with the public. | ||
(c) Responsible Fatherhood Month shall be regularly | ||
observed through appropriate activities in public locations to | ||
increase awareness of the importance and benefits of fatherhood. | ||
SECTION 7. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the commissioner of education shall establish the | ||
grant program required under Section 29.9011, Education Code, as | ||
added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 8. Not later than September 1, 2024: | ||
(1) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human | ||
Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement | ||
Section 531.292, Government Code, as added by this Act; and | ||
(2) the commission shall establish and implement: | ||
(A) the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative | ||
required under Section 531.291, Government Code, as added by this | ||
Act; and | ||
(B) the grant program required under Section | ||
531.292, Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |