By:  Moncrief                                          S.B. No. 962
         2001S0550/1                            
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a pilot project to address the need for more child
 1-3     protective services workers in certain regions of the state.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this Act:
 1-6                 (1)  "Caseworker" means a full-time employee who is an
 1-7     investigative caseworker working for the department in providing
 1-8     child protective services in a target region.
 1-9                 (2)  "Department" means the Department of Protective
1-10     and Regulatory Services.
1-11                 (3)  "Pilot project" means the pilot project
1-12     established by this Act to fill the need for more caseworkers in a
1-13     target region.
1-14                 (4)  "Target region" means a department service region
1-15     of the state in which fewer than half of the authorized caseworker
1-16     positions are filled by caseworkers on the effective date of this
1-17     Act.
1-18                 (5)  "Target training academy" means a training academy
1-19     that trains caseworkers for the department and that is located in a
1-20     target region.
1-21           SECTION 2.  PILOT PROJECT.  A pilot project is established to
1-22     aid target regions in meeting their needs for caseworkers.
1-23           SECTION 3.  DEPARTMENT DUTIES.  For the duration of the pilot
1-24     project, the department shall:
1-25                 (1)  remove the limit on the number of authorized
 2-1     caseworker positions in a target region;
 2-2                 (2)  increase the number of trainee positions in a
 2-3     target training academy to a total that is 300 percent of the
 2-4     number of trainee positions immediately before the effective date
 2-5     of this Act; and
 2-6                 (3)  provide funds as necessary to accomplish the
 2-7     purposes of Subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section.
 2-8           SECTION 4.  DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.  The department may
 2-9     terminate the pilot project if the department determines that the
2-10     number of caseworkers serving the public in the target region
2-11     equals or exceeds the number of authorized caseworker positions as
2-12     that number existed immediately before the effective date of this
2-13     Act.
2-14           SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect
2-15     September 1, 2001.