BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1156
	By: Nelson
	Finance
	3/26/2021
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

In 2015, the legislature transferred administrative oversight of the Children's Advocacy Centers and Court Appointed Special Advocates from the Office of Attorney General to the Health and Human Services Commission. The goal was to re-align these programs with the state's child welfare system. Since that session, several statutory changes have been made relating to agency contracting. S.B. 1156 is a clean-up bill that updates the Family Code so that these programs comply with current law.

As proposed, S.B. 1156 amends current law relating to the contracting authority of the Health and Human Services Commission for the volunteer advocate for children program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 264.603(a), Family Code, as follows:

(a) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission to contract with one statewide organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3) of that code and that is composed of individuals or groups of individuals who have expertise in the dynamics of child abuse and neglect and experience in operating volunteer advocate programs to provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation services for the benefit of local volunteer advocate programs. Requires that the contract:

(1) include measurable goals and objectives relating to the number of volunteer advocates in the program, and children receiving services from the program; and

(2) follow practices designed to ensure compliance with standards referenced in the contract.

Deletes existing text requiring that the statewide organization be designated as a supporting organization under Section 509(a)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.