AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Sometimes a child in foster care is removed from the child's foster home without much notice, even if an emergency does not exist. This does not give adequate time to prepare a child before removal. H.B. 807 seeks to address this issue by requiring the Department of Family and Protective Services to give at least 48 hours notice, except in emergency situations, before removing a child from a foster home.
H.B. 807 amends current law relating to the notice provided to a foster parent before a change in a child's foster care placement.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, by adding Section 264.119, as follows:
Sec. 264.119. NOTICE OF CHANGE OF PLACEMENT. (a) Defines, in this section, "residential child-care facility" and "child-placing agency."
(b) Requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), except in the case of an emergency or as otherwise provided by a court order or agreed to by a residential child-care facility or child-placing agency, to provide written notice to the residential child-care facility and any child-placing agency involved with a child before DFPS may change the child's residential child-care facility.
(c) Requires DFPS to provide the notice required under Subsection (b) at least 48 hours before the residential child-care facility is changed.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2011.