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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prevention and early intervention programs and |
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practices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 264.201(d), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The services may include in-home programs, parenting |
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skills training, youth coping skills, and individual and family |
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counseling. If the department requires or a court orders parenting |
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skills training services through a parenting education program or |
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practice, the program or practice must be an evidence-based program |
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or practice, promising [practice parenting education] program or |
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practice, or evidence-informed program or practice described by |
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Section 265.151 that is provided in the community in which the |
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family resides, if available. |
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SECTION 2. Section 265.004(a-1), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a-1) The department shall ensure that not less than 75 |
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percent of the money appropriated for home visitation programs and |
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parenting education programs under Subsection (a) funds |
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evidence-based programs or practices described by Section |
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265.151(b) and that the remainder of that money funds promising |
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[practice] programs or practices described by Section 265.151(c) |
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and evidence-informed programs or practices described by Section |
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265.151(d). |
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SECTION 3. The heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 265, Family |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES [PARENTING |
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EDUCATION] |
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SECTION 4. The heading to Section 265.151, Family Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 265.151. REQUIREMENTS FOR [PARENTING EDUCATION] |
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PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES ON EVIDENCE-BASED SPECTRUM. |
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SECTION 5. Section 265.151, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read |
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as follows: |
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(b) An evidence-based program or practice is a [parenting |
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education] program or practice that: |
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(1) is research-based and grounded in relevant, |
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empirical knowledge and program-determined outcomes; |
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(2) has comprehensive standards ensuring the highest |
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quality service delivery with continuous improvement in the quality |
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of service delivery; |
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(3) has demonstrated significant positive [short-term |
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and long-term] outcomes; |
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(4) is listed as an evidence-based program or practice |
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by a nationally recognized clearinghouse associated with a state or |
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federal agency or an institution of higher education or, during the |
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preceding 10 years, has been subject to an external evaluation that |
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showed positive results and was published in peer-reviewed |
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literature [has been evaluated by at least one rigorous, random, |
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controlled research trial across heterogeneous populations or |
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communities with research results that have been published in a |
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peer-reviewed journal]; |
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(5) substantially complies with a program manual or |
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design that specifies the purpose, outcomes, duration, and |
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frequency of the program services; [and] |
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(6) employs well-trained and competent staff and |
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provides continual relevant professional development opportunities |
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to the staff; |
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(7) is associated with a national organization, |
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institution of higher education, or national or state public health |
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institute; and |
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(8) demonstrates substantial connections to other |
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community-based services. |
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(c) A promising [practice] program or practice is a |
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[parenting education] program or practice that: |
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(1) has an active impact evaluation program or |
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demonstrates a schedule for implementing an active impact |
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evaluation program; |
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(2) is listed as a promising program or practice by a |
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nationally recognized clearinghouse associated with a state or |
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federal agency or an institution of higher education or, during the |
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preceding 10 years, has been subject to an external evaluation that |
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showed positive results and was published in peer-reviewed |
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literature [has been evaluated by at least one outcome-based study |
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demonstrating effectiveness or random, controlled trial in a |
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homogeneous sample]; |
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(3) substantially complies with a program manual or |
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design that specifies the purpose, outcomes, duration, and |
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frequency of the program services; |
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(4) employs well-trained and competent staff and |
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provides continual relevant professional development opportunities |
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to the staff; [and] |
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(5) is research-based and grounded in relevant, |
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empirical knowledge and program-determined outcomes; and |
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(6) demonstrates substantial connections to other |
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community-based services. |
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(d) An evidence-informed program or practice is a program or |
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practice that: |
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(1) combines well-researched interventions with |
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clinical experience and ethics, and client preferences and culture, |
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to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and services; |
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(2) has an active impact evaluation program or |
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demonstrates a schedule for implementing an active impact |
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evaluation program; |
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(3) substantially complies with a program manual or |
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design that specifies the purpose, outcome, duration, and frequency |
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of the program services; and |
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(4) employs well-trained and competent staff and |
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provides continual relevant professional development opportunities |
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to the staff. |
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SECTION 6. Section 265.152, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 265.152. OUTCOMES OF EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION AND |
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EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES [PARENTING EDUCATION]. |
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The department shall ensure that a prevention and early |
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intervention [parenting education] program or practice provided |
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under this subchapter [chapter] achieves favorable behavioral |
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outcomes in at least two of the following areas: |
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(1) improved cognitive development of children; |
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(2) increased [school] readiness for and |
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participation and performance in school [of children]; |
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(3) reduced child abuse, neglect, and injury; |
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(4) improved child safety; |
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(5) improved social-emotional development of children |
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and youth; |
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(6) increased protective factors [improved parenting |
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skills], including nurturing, [and] bonding, and other parenting |
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skills; |
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(7) improved family economic self-sufficiency; |
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(8) reduced parental or youth involvement with the |
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criminal justice system; [and] |
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(9) increased paternal involvement and support; |
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(10) improved maternal and child health; and |
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(11) increased protective factors for children and |
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youth. |
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SECTION 7. Section 265.153, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 265.153. EVALUATION OF PREVENTION AND EARLY |
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INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES [EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING |
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EDUCATION]. (a) The department shall adopt outcome indicators to |
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measure the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention |
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[parenting education] programs and practices provided under this |
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subchapter [chapter] in achieving desired outcomes. |
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(b) The department may work directly with the model |
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developer of a prevention and early intervention [parenting |
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education] program or practice to identify appropriate outcome |
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indicators for the program or practice and to ensure that the |
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program or practice substantially complies with the model. |
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(c) The department shall develop internal processes to |
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share information with prevention and early intervention service |
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providers [parenting education programs] to assist the department |
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in analyzing the performance of the programs or practices. |
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(d) The department shall use information obtained under |
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this section to: |
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(1) monitor prevention and early intervention |
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[parenting education] programs and practices; |
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(2) continually improve the quality of the programs |
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and practices; and |
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(3) evaluate the effectiveness of the programs and |
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practices. |
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SECTION 8. Section 265.154, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 265.154. REPORTS TO LEGISLATURE. (a) Not later than |
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December 1 of each even-numbered year, the department shall prepare |
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and submit a report on state-funded prevention and early |
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intervention [parenting education] programs and practices to the |
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standing committees of the senate and house of representatives with |
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jurisdiction over child protective services. |
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(b) A report submitted under this section must include: |
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(1) a description of the prevention and early |
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intervention [parenting education] programs and practices |
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implemented and of the models associated with the programs and |
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practices; |
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(2) information on the families served by the programs |
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and practices, including the number of families served and their |
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demographic information; |
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(3) the goals and achieved outcomes of the implemented |
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programs and practices; |
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(4) information on the cost for each family served, |
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including any available third-party return-on-investment analysis; |
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and |
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(5) information explaining the percentage of money |
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spent on evidence-based programs and practices, on promising |
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[practice] programs and practices, and on evidence-informed |
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programs and practices. |
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SECTION 9. Section 265.151(a), Family Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |