BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 807

By: Parker

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 807 amends the Family Code to require 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 the residential child-care facility or child-placing agency, to provide written notice to a residential child-care facility and any child-placing agency involved with a child before DFPS may change the child's residential child-care facility. The bill requires DFPS to provide the notice at least 48 hours before the residential child-care facility is changed. The bill provides for the meaning of "residential child-care facility" and "child-placing agency" by reference to the Human Resources Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.