Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Naishtat                                     H.B. No. 3200

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the Adoptive Parent Registry.

 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 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 264.109.  Adoptive Parent Registry.  (a)  The department

 1-7     shall establish a registry of persons who are willing to accept

 1-8     foster care placement of a child in the care of the department.

 1-9     The child may be placed temporarily with a person registered under

1-10     this section pending termination of the parent-child relationship.

1-11           (b)  A person registered under this section must satisfy

1-12     requirements adopted by rule by the department.

1-13           (c)  The department shall maintain a list of persons

1-14     registered under this section and shall make a reasonable effort to

1-15     place a child with the first available qualified person on the list

1-16     if a qualified extended family member is not available for the

1-17     child.

1-18           (d)  Before a child may be placed with a person under this

1-19     section, the person must sign a written statement in which the

1-20     person agrees to the immediate removal of the child by the

1-21     department under circumstances determined by the department.

1-22           (e)  [A person registered under this section is not entitled

1-23     to compensation during the time the child is placed in the person's

1-24     home but may receive support services provided for the child by the

 2-1     department.]

 2-2           [(f)]  A person registered under this section has the right

 2-3     to be considered first for the adoption of a child placed in the

 2-4     person's home if the parent-child relationship is terminated with

 2-5     regard to the child and if no qualified relative with whom the

 2-6     child has an established relationship is available for the child.

 2-7           (f) [(g)]  The department may refuse to place a child with a

 2-8     person registered under this section only for a reason permitted

 2-9     under criteria adopted by department rule.

2-10           (g) [(h)]  The department shall make the public aware of the

2-11     existence and benefits of the adoptive parent registry through

2-12     appropriate existing department communication methods.

2-13           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-14           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.