By: Lindsay S.B. No. 996
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to funeral expenses for children in foster care.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Section 264.012, Family Code, is amended to read
1-4 as follows:
1-5 Sec. 264.012. FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE.
1-6 The department shall request the biological parent or parents to
1-7 pay reasonable and necessary funeral expenses for a child for whom
1-8 the department has been appointed managing conservator and who dies
1-9 in foster care. If the biological parents have an insurance policy
1-10 or savings account for the child, these resources should be spent
1-11 on the funeral expenses. If the biological parent or parents
1-12 cannot pay the funeral expenses, the department shall [may] spend
1-13 funds appropriated for the child protective services program to pay
1-14 reasonable and necessary funeral expenses for a child for whom the
1-15 department has been appointed managing conservator and who dies in
1-16 foster care. The department may accept donations, gifts, or
1-17 in-kind expenses in relation to funeral expenses for children for
1-18 whom the department has been appointed managing conservator.
1-19 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-20 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.