By Wilson                                              H.B. No. 168

      75R1960 SAW-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 264, Family Code, is

 1-5     amended by adding Section 264.111 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 264.111.  KINSHIP FOSTER CARE.  (a)  The department

 1-7     shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that a child is placed in

 1-8     foster 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, 1997.

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.