By Wilson                                              H.B. No. 697
         76R2245 JMM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the placement of a child in substitute care with a
 1-3     relative.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 264.1085 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 264.1085.  SUBSTITUTE CARE WITH RELATIVE.  (a)  The
 1-8     department shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that a child is
 1-9     placed in foster care with a relative whenever possible.
1-10           (b)  The department shall develop an accelerated process to
1-11     certify as a foster home the home of a relative who is providing
1-12     foster care for a child.  The certification process may not be as
1-13     stringent as the routine certification process for other foster
1-14     homes.
1-15           (c)  The department by rule shall provide for immediate
1-16     foster care payments under this subchapter for a person who is
1-17     providing foster care for a child who is a relative.
1-18           (d)  The department by rule may provide for a waiver of the
1-19     foster home certification requirements when a child is placed in
1-20     foster care with a relative.
1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.