BILL ANALYSIS


                                                    C.S.H.B. 2468
                                              By: Coleman (Ellis)
                                        Health and Human Services
                                                         05-25-95
                            Senate Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

Many African-American children face severe crises on multiple
fronts: they are disproportionately undereducated, malnourished,
and poor.  The lack of adoption is a serious problem facing large
numbers of these children.  As a result, such children end up in
foster care and remain there for longer periods of time, making it
harder ultimately for them to be placed with adoptive parents.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 2468 establishes the Advisory Committee on
Promoting Adoption of Adoptable African-American Children within
the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted
to the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services under
SECTION 1 (Section 47.006(i), Human Resources Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 47A, Human Resources Code, by adding
Section 47.006, as follows:

     Sec. 47.006.  ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PROMOTING ADOPTION OF
     MINORITY CHILDREN.  (a) Establishes an advisory committee on
     promoting the adoption of and provision of services to
     minority children within the Department of Protective and
     Regulatory Services (DPRS).
     
     (b) Declares that the committee is composed of 12 members
       appointed by the Texas board of DPRS.  Requires the board to
       appoint to the committee individuals who in the aggregate
       have knowledge of and experience in community education,
       cultural relations, family support, counseling, and
       parenting skills and education.  Requires at least six
       committee members to be ordained members of the clergy.
       
       (c) Declares that a member serves for a two-year term and
       may be appointed for additional terms.
       
       (d) Declares that a committee member receives no
       compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
       necessary expenses incurred in performing the member's
       duties.
       
       (e) Requires the committee to elect one member to serve as
       presiding officer for a two-year term.  Authorizes the
       presiding officer to be elected for additional terms.
       
       (f) Requires DPRS to set the time and place of the first
       committee meeting.  Requires the committee to meet at least
       quarterly.
       
       (g) Requires DPRS to pay the expenses of the committee and
       to supply necessary personnel and supplies.
       
       (h) Requires the committee, to promote the adoption of and
       provision of services to minority children, to study,
       develop, and evaluate certain programs and projects; consult
       with churches and other cultural and civic organizations;
       and report to DPRS the committee's recommendations for
       related DPRS programs and projects.
       
       (i) Authorizes DPRS, on receiving the committee's
       recommendations, to adopt rules to implement a program or
       project recommended under this section.  Authorizes DPRS to
       solicit, accept, and use gifts and donations to implement a
       program or project recommended by the committee.
       
       (j) Requires DPRS to report to the legislature not later
       than November 1 of each even-numbered year following the
       first year in which it receives recommendations under this
       section regarding committee recommendations and action taken
       by DPRS under this section.
       
       (k) Prohibits the recruitment of minority families from
       being a reason to delay placement of a child with an
       available family of a race or ethnicity different from that
       of the child.
       
       SECTION 2.   Requires DPRS to appoint committee members not later
than January 1, 1996.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.