By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 1873
         76R6286 KKA-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 264.113 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 264.113.  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, 1999.
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.