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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating a committee to review the process for finding |
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permanent placements for children in the conservatorship of the |
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state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) The Department of Family and Protective |
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Services, in conjunction with the adoption review committee |
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described by Subsection (b) of this section, shall conduct an |
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extensive review of the foster care system to: |
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(1) identify obstacles that impede the department's |
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ability to find a permanent placement for foster children, |
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including placement by adoption; and |
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(2) develop ways to improve the foster care system by: |
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(A) reducing the time a child is in the |
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conservatorship of the department before being permanently placed; |
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(B) reducing the number of children in the |
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conservatorship of the department who are placed outside of their |
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home county; and |
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(C) enhancing the procedures for adopting foster |
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children. |
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(b) The adoption review committee is composed of the |
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following nine members: |
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(1) four members appointed by the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission as |
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follows: |
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(A) an employee of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services; |
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(B) a representative from a licensed |
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child-placing agency that provides adoption services; |
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(C) a representative from the Council on |
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Adoptable Children of Texas; and |
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(D) an attorney with expertise in handling |
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adoptions; and |
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(2) five members who have expertise in or a |
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demonstrated commitment to adoption issues, three of whom are |
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appointed by the governor, one of whom is appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor, and one of whom is appointed by the speaker of |
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the house of representatives. |
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(c) The adoption review committee shall meet at least |
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quarterly. |
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(d) Not later than December 1, 2010, the Department of |
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Family and Protective Services shall submit a written report of the |
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results of the review conducted under Subsection (a) of this |
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section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of |
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the house of representatives, the House Committee on Human |
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Services, and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. |
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The report must include: |
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(1) a summary of the findings of the review conducted |
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under Subsection (a) of this section; |
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(2) a summary of the obstacles identified in the |
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review that impede the department's ability to find permanent |
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placements for foster children; |
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(3) recommendations of actions the department should |
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take to eliminate the obstacles described by Subdivision (2) of |
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this subsection; and |
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(4) any legislative recommendations that would |
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improve the foster care system. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2009, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission and the |
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governor shall appoint the members of the adoption review committee |
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and the adoption review committee shall begin performing its duties |
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as provided by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. The adoption review committee is abolished and |
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this Act expires September 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |