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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 foster care 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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and |
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(B) enhancing the procedures for adopting foster |
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children. |
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(b) The foster care review committee is composed of the |
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following six members: |
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(1) two members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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and |
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(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives. |
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(c) A member of the legislature may not serve on the foster |
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care review committee. |
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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. The foster care review committee is abolished |
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and this Act expires September 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |