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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to family violence center services for victims of family |
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violence. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.002, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by amending Subdivisions (1), (2), and (9) and adding Subdivisions |
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(1-a), (1-b), and (1-c) to read as follows: |
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(1) "Culturally relevant" in regard to a service or |
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practice means that the service is provided or practice is engaged |
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in a manner that is inclusive of an individual's identity and |
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linguistic and cultural background. |
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(1-a) "Dating relationship" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 71.0021(b), Family Code. |
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(1-b) "Dating violence" means an act, other than a |
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defensive measure to protect oneself, by an individual against |
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another individual with whom the actor has or has had a dating |
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relationship and that is: |
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(A) intended to result in physical harm, bodily |
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injury, assault, or sexual assault; |
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(B) a threat that reasonably places an individual |
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in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or |
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sexual assault; or |
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(C) intended to inflict emotional harm, |
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including an act of emotional abuse. |
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(1-c) "Family" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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71.003, Family Code. |
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(2) "Family violence" means: |
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(A) an act by a member of a family or household |
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against another member of the family or household that: |
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(i) [(A)] is intended to result in physical |
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harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault or that is a threat |
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that reasonably places the member in fear of imminent physical |
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harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault, but does not |
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include defensive measures to protect oneself; or |
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(ii) [(B)] is intended to inflict emotional |
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harm, including an act of emotional abuse; or |
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(B) dating violence. |
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(9) "Victim of family violence" means: |
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(A) an adult member of a family or household who |
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is subjected to an act of family violence; [or] |
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(B) a member of the household of the adult |
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described by Paragraph (A), other than the member of the household |
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who commits the act of family violence, including an act of |
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emotional abuse; or |
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(C) an individual who is subjected to an act of |
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dating violence. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 51.004(a) and (b), Human Resources |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible for a contract under Section 51.003(a), a |
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family violence shelter center must: |
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(1) provide temporary lodging and direct delivery of |
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services for adults and their dependents; |
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(2) have been in actual operation offering shelter |
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services 24 hours a day with a capacity for not less than five |
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persons for at least one year before the date on which the contract |
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is awarded; |
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(3) demonstrate that the center, through the services |
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it provides, is addressing a need in the community consistent with |
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the plan for family violence services under Section 51.0021; [and] |
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(4) demonstrate that the center is using a culturally |
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relevant and trauma-informed advocacy service model; and |
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(5) submit a contract application on forms prescribed |
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by the commission. |
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(b) To be eligible for a contract under Section 51.003(a), a |
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family violence nonresidential center must: |
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(1) provide, as its primary purpose, direct delivery |
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of services to adult victims of family violence; |
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(2) demonstrate a system of referring victims of |
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family violence to at least one family violence shelter center or |
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other safe temporary lodging; |
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(3) have been operating and providing comprehensive |
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services, including the services described by Section |
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51.005(b)(3), to victims of family violence for at least one year |
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before the date on which the contract is awarded; |
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(4) demonstrate that the center, through the services |
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it provides, is addressing a need in the community consistent with |
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the plan for family violence services under Section 51.0021; [and] |
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(5) demonstrate that the center is using a culturally |
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relevant and trauma-informed advocacy service model; and |
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(6) submit a contract application on forms prescribed |
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by the commission. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.005, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) The contracts shall require the persons operating a |
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family violence center to: |
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(1) make a quarterly and an annual financial report on |
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a form prescribed by the commission; |
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(2) cooperate with inspections the commission makes to |
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ensure services standards and fiscal responsibility; and |
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(3) provide, as its primary purpose, culturally |
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relevant and trauma-informed services to victims of family violence |
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that include: |
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(A) 24-hour-a-day shelter, except that a family |
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violence nonresidential center may provide access to a |
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24-hour-a-day shelter; |
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(B) a 24-hour-a-day crisis hotline, except that a |
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family violence nonresidential center may provide access to a |
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24-hour-a-day crisis hotline operated by another organization |
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located in the nonresidential center's service area; |
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(C) [access to emergency medical care; |
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[(D)] intervention services, including [safety |
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planning,] understanding and support, information, education, |
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referrals, advocacy, and other resource assistance for: |
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(i) economic and housing stability; |
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(ii) obtaining treatment for physical, |
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behavioral, and mental health; |
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(iii) the needs of children who are victims |
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and the children of victims; and |
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(iv) participating in the civil and |
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criminal justice systems; |
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(D) safety planning services in collaboration |
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with the self-stated priorities and needs of the victim of family |
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violence; |
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(E) community education regarding family |
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violence and family violence prevention efforts [access to |
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emergency transportation]; |
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(F) counseling services [legal assistance in the |
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civil and criminal justice systems, including: |
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[(i) identifying individual needs, legal |
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rights, and legal options]; and |
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[(ii) providing support and accompaniment |
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in pursuing those options;] |
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(G) peer support services that facilitate |
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connections between victims to create community [information about |
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educational arrangements for children; |
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[(H) information about training for and seeking |
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employment; |
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[(I) cooperation with criminal justice |
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officials; |
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[(J) community education; |
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[(K) a referral system to existing community |
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services; and |
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[(L) a volunteer recruitment and training |
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program]. |
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(b-1) The contracts shall prohibit the persons operating a |
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family violence center from requiring a victim of family violence |
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to participate in other services as a condition of receiving |
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shelter. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a contract entered into on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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A contract entered into before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the contract was entered |
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into, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |