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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a supply of luggage by the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services for the transport of |
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the personal belongings of a foster child. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 263.008(b), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) It is the policy of this state that each child in foster |
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care be informed of the child's rights provided by state or federal |
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law or policy that relate to: |
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(1) abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and |
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harassment; |
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(2) food, clothing, shelter, and education; |
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(3) luggage to transport the child's personal |
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belongings; |
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(4) medical, dental, vision, and mental health |
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services, including the right of the child to consent to treatment; |
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(5) [(4)] emergency behavioral intervention, |
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including what methods are permitted, the conditions under which it |
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may be used, and the precautions that must be taken when |
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administering it; |
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(6) [(5)] placement with the child's siblings and |
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contact with members of the child's family; |
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(7) [(6)] privacy and searches, including the use of |
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storage space, mail, and the telephone; |
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(8) [(7)] participation in school-related |
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extracurricular or community activities; |
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(9) [(8)] interaction with persons outside the foster |
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care system, including teachers, church members, mentors, and |
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friends; |
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(10) [(9)] contact and communication with |
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caseworkers, attorneys ad litem, guardians ad litem, and |
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court-appointed special advocates; |
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(11) [(10)] religious services and activities; |
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(12) [(11)] confidentiality of the child's records; |
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(13) [(12)] job skills, personal finances, and |
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preparation for adulthood; |
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(14) [(13)] participation in a court hearing that |
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involves the child; |
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(15) [(14)] participation in the development of |
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service and treatment plans; |
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(16) [(15)] if the child has a disability, the |
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advocacy and protection of the rights of a person with that |
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disability; and |
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(17) [(16)] any other matter affecting the child's |
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ability to receive care and treatment in the least restrictive |
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environment that is most like a family setting, consistent with the |
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best interests and needs of the child. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 264.1078 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.1078. LUGGAGE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN. (a) In this |
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section, "luggage" means a suitcase, duffel bag, backpack, or |
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similar container designed to hold an individual's personal |
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belongings. |
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(b) The department shall: |
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(1) establish and maintain a decentralized supply of |
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luggage to be used to transport a foster child's personal |
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belongings; and |
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(2) develop procedures for the storage and |
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distribution of luggage. |
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(c) The department shall provide luggage to a child who is |
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being removed from the child's home or changing placement. Luggage |
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provided to a child under this subsection belongs to the child and |
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may not be reclaimed by the department or retained by the child's |
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foster parent. The department is not required to provide new |
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luggage under this subsection to a child who is changing placement |
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and has the luggage previously provided by the department. |
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(d) The department shall maintain a record of each time a |
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trash bag is used to move a foster child's personal belongings. The |
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record must include the reason the department did not provide the |
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child with appropriate luggage to move the child's personal |
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belongings. |
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(e) The department shall submit an annual report to the |
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legislature that includes a summary of: |
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(1) the number of times a trash bag was used to |
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transport a foster child's personal belongings and the reasons the |
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department failed to provide the child with appropriate luggage; |
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and |
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(2) the department's supply inventory and inventory |
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management practices for the luggage supply maintained under |
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Subsection (b). |
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(f) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations of any kind and from any source for purposes of this |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |