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Senate Bill 781 |
Senate Author: Kolkhorst |
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Effective: 9-1-19 |
House Sponsor: Leman |
Senate Bill 781 amends the Human Resources Code to do the following with respect to the regulation of child‑care facilities:
· provide for the establishment of child safety and runaway prevention procedures;
· provide for the regulation of certain general residential operations;
· require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to monitor and coordinate with certain of those general residential operations to maintain and improve the quality of residential child‑care services purchased by DFPS;
· require DFPS to develop a strategic plan regarding the placement of children in settings eligible for federal financial participation under the requirements of federal law;
· remove the option for an applicable child‑care facility or family home found to be repeatedly noncompliant with certain standards to be scheduled for evaluation as an alternative to probation or having the applicable license or registration revoked; and
· set out the circumstances under which DFPS is prohibited from issuing a license, listing, registration, or certification to a person who in lieu of disciplinary action voluntarily closed a facility or family home or relinquished the person's license, listing, registration, or certification.
DFPS and the Health and Human Services Commission are required to implement a provision of the bill only if a specific appropriation is made for that purpose.