By Goodman H.B. No. 2208
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to amending Subchapter E, Family Code, to permit the
1-3 office of the attorney general to contract with a statewide program
1-4 having expertise in the establishment of children's advocacy
1-5 centers.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Section 264.409, Family Code, is amended to read
1-8 as follows:
1-9 Sec. Administrative Contracts. (a) The department or the
1-10 office of the attorney general may contract with a statewide
1-11 organization of individuals or groups of individuals who has
1-12 expertise in the establishment and operation of children's advocacy
1-13 center programs. The statewide organization shall provide
1-14 training, technical assistance, and evaluation services for local
1-15 children's advocacy center programs.
1-16 (b) If the attorney general enters into a contract pursuant
1-17 to subsection (a), the contract under this section shall provide
1-18 that not more than 12 percent of the annual legislative
1-19 appropriation to implement this subchapter may be spent for
1-20 administrative purposes by the statewide organization with which
1-21 the attorney general contracts under this section.
2-1 SECTION 2. Section 264.410, Family Code, is amended to read
2-2 as follows:
2-3 Sec. 264.410. Contracts With Children's Advocacy Centers.
2-4 (a) The statewide organization with which the department or the
2-5 office of the attorney general contracts under Section 264.409
2-6 shall contract for services with eligible centers to enhance the
2-7 existing services of the programs.
2-8 (b) The contract under this section may not result in
2-9 reducing the financial support a local center receives from another
2-10 source.
2-11 (c) If the attorney general enters into a contract pursuant
2-12 to this section, the attorney general by rule shall adopt standards
2-13 for a local children's advocacy center program. The statewide
2-14 organization shall assist the attorney general in developing the
2-15 standards.
2-16 SECTION 3. Subsection 264.411, Family Code, is amended to
2-17 read as follows:
2-18 (b) The statewide organization may waive the requirements
2-19 specified in Subsection (a) if it determines that the waiver will
2-20 not adversely affect the center's ability to carry out its duties
2-21 under Section 264.405. Any waiver that is granted must be
2-22 identified in the written contract with the center. [If a request
2-23 for a waiver is denied, an appeal of the decision may be made to
2-24 the department's executive director, who may reverse the decision.
2-25 If the executive director approves a request for a waiver on
3-1 appeal, the statewide organization shall contract with the center
3-2 and shall include the waiver in the contract.]
3-3 SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect on
3-4 September 1, 1999.
3-5 SECTION 5. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
3-6 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.