By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 1921
         77R7141 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the continuation of adoption assistance after the 18th
 1-3     birthday of certain children.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 162, Family Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Section 162.3041 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 162.3041.  CONTINUATION OF ASSISTANCE AFTER CHILD'S 18TH
 1-8     BIRTHDAY. (a)  The department shall continue providing adoption
 1-9     assistance after a child's 18th birthday to the child's adoptive
1-10     parents under an adoption assistance agreement entered into under
1-11     Section 162.304(a) until:
1-12                 (1)  the child's 21st birthday, if the child has a
1-13     mental or physical disability that warrants the continuation of
1-14     that assistance, as provided by 42 U.S.C. Section 673(a), as
1-15     amended; or
1-16                 (2)  if the child does not meet the requirements of
1-17     Subdivision (1), the earlier of:
1-18                       (A)  the date the child ceases to attend school
1-19     regularly;
1-20                       (B)  the date the child obtains a high school
1-21     diploma or high school equivalency certificate;
1-22                       (C)  the date the child's adoptive parents are no
1-23     longer responsible for the child's support; or
1-24                       (D)  the child's 19th birthday.
 2-1           (b)  Adoption assistance provided to the adoptive parents of
 2-2     a child described by Subsection (a)(2) may be funded only with
 2-3     state money.
 2-4           (c)  If the legislature does not appropriate sufficient money
 2-5     to provide adoption assistance to the adoptive parents of all
 2-6     children described by Subsection (a), the department shall provide
 2-7     adoption assistance only to the adoptive parents of children
 2-8     described by Subsection (a)(1).
 2-9           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-10           (b)  The change in law made by Section 162.3041, Family Code,
2-11     as added by this Act, applies to adoption assistance provided to
2-12     adoptive parents with whom the Department of Protective and
2-13     Regulatory Services has entered into an adoption assistance
2-14     agreement, regardless of whether the agreement was entered into
2-15     before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.