BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 982
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Grandparents are raising their grandchildren because their own children are unable to do so for various reasons. Many of these absent parents are either struggling with a drug addiction, incarcerated, laid off from work, or have been affected by reforms in the welfare system. Grandparents have a strong determination to raise their grandchildren, but usually have a fixed income. If not for grandparents raising their grandchildren, the number of children entering the foster care system would increase. Grandparents should be eligible to receive the same foster care payments as other foster care providers, especially if they fall below the poverty level and there is no other assistance available.
As proposed, S.B. 982 allows foster care payments to be made to a grandparents who are granted custodial care of a grandchild by the Department of Family and Protective Services.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to any state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 264.101, Family Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-2), as follows:
(a) Authorizes the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to pay the cost of foster care for a child for whom DFPS has initiated a suit and has been named managing conservator under an order rendered under this title, who is a resident of the state, or who has been placed by DFPS with a grandparent of the child.
(a-2) Authorizes DFPS, in paying for foster care provided by a grandparent, to give priority to providing payment to grandparents with incomes below the federal poverty level who do not have access to other forms of financial assistance.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.