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          AN ACT
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        relating to the recruitment and retention of certain caseworkers  | 
      
      
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        employed by the Department of Family and Protective Services. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code,  | 
      
      
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        is amended by adding Sections 40.0327 and 40.0328 to read as  | 
      
      
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        follows: | 
      
      
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               Sec. 40.0327.  PREEMPLOYMENT ASSESSMENT; PREFERENCE.   | 
      
      
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        (a)  The department shall use special assessment tools in screening  | 
      
      
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        applicants for employment with the child protective services  | 
      
      
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        division in order to match an applicant with the position in the  | 
      
      
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        division for which an applicant would be best suited based on the  | 
      
      
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        applicant's skills, personality traits, and experience. | 
      
      
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               (b)  The department shall give favorable consideration to an  | 
      
      
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        applicant for an entry-level caseworker position who has a master's  | 
      
      
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        degree or bachelor's degree in social work over other applicants  | 
      
      
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        who have comparable skills. | 
      
      
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               Sec. 40.0328.  SALARY STUDY.  (a)  The department shall study  | 
      
      
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        the salaries of each type of child protective services caseworker  | 
      
      
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        to determine the role salary plays in the recruitment and retention  | 
      
      
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        of caseworkers and in the turnover rate for each type of caseworker. | 
      
      
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               (b)  Not later than December 1, 2012, the department shall  | 
      
      
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        report the results of the study and any recommendations to the  | 
      
      
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        governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of  | 
      
      
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        representatives, and standing committee of each house of the  | 
      
      
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        legislature with jurisdiction over the department. | 
      
      
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               (c)  The commission shall consider contracting with an  | 
      
      
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        institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003,  | 
      
      
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        Education Code, to perform the study required by this section. | 
      
      
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               (d)  This section expires September 1, 2013. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  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, 2011. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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           President of the Senate | 
        Speaker of the House      | 
      
      
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               I certify that H.B. No. 753 was passed by the House on May 5,  | 
      
      
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        2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 140, Nays 6, 1 present, not  | 
      
      
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        voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to  | 
      
      
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        H.B. No. 753 on May 25, 2011, and requested the appointment of a  | 
      
      
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        conference committee to consider the differences between the two  | 
      
      
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        houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report  | 
      
      
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        on H.B. No. 753 on May 29, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 116,  | 
      
      
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        Nays 27, 2 present, not voting. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Chief Clerk of the House    | 
      
      
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               I certify that H.B. No. 753 was passed by the Senate, with  | 
      
      
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        amendments, on May 20, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 28, Nays  | 
      
      
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        2; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference  | 
      
      
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        committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and  | 
      
      
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        that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.  | 
      
      
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        753 on May 29, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 2 | 
      
      
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        . | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Secretary of the Senate    | 
      
      
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        APPROVED: __________________ | 
      
      
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                        Date        | 
      
      
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                 __________________ | 
      
      
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                      Governor        |