|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the rights of children and the education of parents |
|
regarding their duties as parents. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
ARTICLE 1. CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS |
|
SECTION 1.01. Chapter 151, Family Code, is amended by |
|
adding Section 151.005 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 151.005. CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. (a) It is the |
|
intent of the legislature to ensure that: |
|
(1) children are the number one priority of this |
|
state; and |
|
(2) parents are educated regarding their duties under |
|
law as the primary protectors of their children. |
|
(b) It is the policy of this state that each child has the |
|
right to: |
|
(1) live in a safe, healthy, and comfortable home in |
|
which the child is treated with respect; |
|
(2) be free from physical, sexual, emotional, and |
|
other abuse or neglect and any form of discipline that humiliates or |
|
demeans the child; |
|
(3) receive adequate and healthy food; |
|
(4) receive access to a quality education; and |
|
(5) receive appropriate medical, dental, vision, and |
|
mental health services. |
|
SECTION 1.02. Chapter 265, Family Code, is amended by |
|
adding Section 265.006 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 265.006. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN |
|
REGARDING CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. (a) Not later than September |
|
1, 2010, the department shall develop and implement a statewide |
|
public awareness and outreach campaign designed to educate the |
|
public regarding the legislature's adoption and content of the |
|
children's bill of rights under Section 151.005. |
|
(b) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
|
donations from any public or private source for purposes of this |
|
section. |
|
(c) This section expires December 31, 2011. |
|
SECTION 1.03. Subchapter A, Chapter 192, Health and Safety |
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 192.0035 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 192.0035. PRESENTATION TO PARENTS OF PROCLAMATION OF |
|
CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. (a) As soon as practicable after a |
|
child's birth or adoption certificate is filed under this chapter |
|
or a child's birth is reported under this chapter, the department |
|
shall present to each of the child's parents a written proclamation |
|
of the children's bill of rights prescribed by Section 151.005, |
|
Family Code. |
|
(b) The department, in consultation with the office of the |
|
governor, shall establish the form, content, and manner of |
|
presentation of the proclamation required by this section. The |
|
proclamation must include a signed statement from the governor |
|
congratulating the parent on the child's birth and informing the |
|
parent of the parent's duties in relation to the child imposed under |
|
the Family Code and other law. |
|
(c) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
|
Services Commission shall adopt rules for the administration of |
|
this section. |
|
ARTICLE 2. FAMILY EDUCATION CENTERS |
|
SECTION 2.01. Subchapter F, Chapter 130, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 130.093 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 130.093. FAMILY EDUCATION CENTERS. (a) The board of |
|
trustees of a junior college district may establish, in conjunction |
|
with other public or private institutions of higher education and |
|
other participating private entities, a family education center. |
|
The family education center must be administered under a formal |
|
agreement entered into by the district with the other member |
|
institutions and entities. |
|
(b) The family education center shall provide comprehensive |
|
family educational activities and training to the residents of the |
|
region in which the center is located. |
|
(c) The member institutions and entities of the family |
|
education center shall establish the curriculum for the center in |
|
consultation with the prevention and early intervention services |
|
division of the Department of Family and Protective Services. The |
|
curriculum must be designed to: |
|
(1) educate parents regarding their duties under law |
|
as the primary protectors of their children; |
|
(2) promote the prevention and amelioration of child |
|
abuse and neglect; |
|
(3) reduce the need for state and local services |
|
addressing child maltreatment; and |
|
(4) engage family members in individual and group |
|
sessions designed to: |
|
(A) prevent the occurrence of family violence; |
|
(B) address addiction problems and other mental |
|
health issues of family members; |
|
(C) equip family members with strategies to |
|
reduce stress and anxiety and creative ideas for family activities; |
|
(D) foster communication, respect, forgiveness, |
|
and intimacy among family members; |
|
(E) build self-esteem; |
|
(F) develop short- and long-term family goals; |
|
(G) develop vocational skills; |
|
(H) develop life skills, including skills |
|
relating to parenting, discipline, positive reinforcement, infant |
|
care, household budgeting, financial planning, daily planning of |
|
household chores, nutrition and wellness, personal care, and |
|
community volunteerism; and |
|
(I) address any other family educational goals of |
|
the local community served by the center. |
|
(d) The member institutions and entities of the family |
|
education center shall work with the local community to identify |
|
and offer courses that will meet the family educational goals for |
|
the region served by the center. |
|
(e) The member institutions and entities of the family |
|
education center, under the terms of the formal agreement, may make |
|
provisions for adequate physical facilities for use by the center. |
|
(f) The member institutions and entities of the family |
|
education center may solicit, accept, and administer, on terms |
|
acceptable to the members, gifts, grants, and donations of any kind |
|
and from any public or private source for use by the center. |
|
SECTION 2.02. Chapter 265, Family Code, is amended by adding |
|
Sections 265.007 and 265.008 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 265.007. FAMILY EDUCATION CENTER CURRICULUM |
|
DEVELOPMENT. On request by the member institutions and entities of |
|
a family education center established under Section 130.093, |
|
Education Code, the department shall assist the member institutions |
|
and entities in developing a comprehensive curriculum for the |
|
center designed to meet the goals prescribed by Section 130.093(c), |
|
Education Code. |
|
Sec. 265.008. FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING FAMILY EDUCATION |
|
CENTERS; REPORT. (a) The department shall evaluate the feasibility |
|
of requiring certain families who are the subject of a report of |
|
alleged abuse or neglect of a child under this subtitle to |
|
participate in educational activities offered by a family education |
|
center established under Section 130.093, Education Code, as an |
|
alternative to removing the child from the child's home. |
|
(b) Not later than December 1, 2010, the department shall |
|
prepare and submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
|
house of representatives, and the members of the legislature a |
|
report containing the department's findings regarding the |
|
feasibility study conducted by the department under Subsection (a) |
|
and the department's recommendations regarding whether family |
|
education centers should be established statewide. |
|
(c) This section expires September 1, 2011. |
|
ARTICLE 3. EFFECTIVE DATE |
|
SECTION 3.01. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
|
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
|
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
|
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
|
effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |