By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 1311
       74R4261 MLR-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to foster care for a child who resides with a relative.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 41, Human Resources Code,
    1-5  is amended by adding Section 41.029 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 41.029.  KINSHIP FOSTER CARE.  (a)  The department shall
    1-7  make a reasonable effort to ensure that a child is placed in foster
    1-8  care with a relative whenever possible.
    1-9        (b)  The department shall develop an accelerated process to
   1-10  certify as a foster home the home of a relative who is providing
   1-11  foster care for a child.  The certification process may not be as
   1-12  stringent as the routine certification process for other foster
   1-13  homes.
   1-14        (c)  The department by rule shall provide for immediate
   1-15  foster care payments under this subchapter for a person who is
   1-16  providing foster care for a child who is a relative.
   1-17        (d)  The department by rule may provide for a waiver of the
   1-18  foster home certification requirements when a child is placed in
   1-19  foster care with a relative.
   1-20        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-22  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-23  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-24  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.