AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the establishment of infant care and parenting programs
 1-2     in the Texas Youth Commission.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 61, Human Resources Code,
 1-5     is amended by adding Section 61.0762 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 61.0762.  INFANT CARE AND PARENTING PROGRAM.  (a)  The
 1-7     commission may establish infant care and parenting programs for
 1-8     children who are parents.
 1-9           (b)  The commission may permit a child who is the mother of
1-10     an infant younger than 36 months to have possession of her infant
1-11     in a residential program that has an infant care and parenting
1-12     program until the infant reaches the age of 36 months or the mother
1-13     is released under supervision if:
1-14                 (1)  the infant's father or another relative or
1-15     guardian of the infant agrees in advance of the infant's placement
1-16     with the infant's mother to assume possession of the infant
1-17     immediately upon notice by the commission to do so;
1-18                 (2)  the infant's parents and any other person having a
1-19     duty of support acknowledge that by permitting the mother to have
1-20     possession of the infant while the mother is confined in a
1-21     residential facility, the commission assumes no responsibility for
1-22     the infant's care beyond the responsibility of care that is
1-23     ordinarily due the infant's mother and the reasonable
1-24     accommodations that are necessary for the mother's care of the
 2-1     infant;
 2-2                 (3)  the infant's parents and any other person having a
 2-3     duty of support agree to indemnify and hold the commission harmless
 2-4     from any claims that may be made against the commission for the
 2-5     infant's support, including medical support; and
 2-6                 (4)  the commission determines that the placement is in
 2-7     the best interest of both the mother and her infant.
 2-8           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1607 passed the Senate on
         April 29, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1607 passed the House on
         May 8, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor