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.