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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on homeless youth. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter OO to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER OO. HOMELESS YOUTH |
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Sec. 2306.1101. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "homeless |
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youth" means a person who is younger than 25 years of age who: |
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(1) lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime |
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residence, including a person who is: |
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(A) sharing the housing of another person due to |
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loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; |
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(B) living in a hotel, motel, trailer park, or |
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camping ground due to a lack of alternative adequate accommodation; |
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(C) living in an emergency or transitional |
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shelter; |
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(D) abandoned in a hospital; or |
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(E) awaiting foster care placement; |
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(2) has a primary nighttime residence that is a public |
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or private place not designed or ordinarily used as a regular |
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sleeping accommodation for humans; |
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(3) is living in a car, park, other public space, |
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abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or |
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similar setting; or |
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(4) is a migratory child, as defined by Section 1309, |
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section |
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6399), who qualifies as homeless under Subdivision (1), (2), or |
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(3). |
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Sec. 2306.1102. STUDY ON HOMELESS YOUTH. (a) The |
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department, in conjunction with the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas |
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Homeless Education Office, shall conduct a study on homeless youth. |
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(b) In conducting the study, the department shall: |
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(1) collect data on the number of homeless youth in |
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this state; |
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(2) examine the needs of homeless youth and the degree |
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to which current programs are meeting those needs; and |
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(3) identify any sources of funding that might be |
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available to provide services to homeless youth. |
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(c) The department shall submit a report on the study to the |
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legislature not later than December 1, 2014. The report must |
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include a summary of the information resulting from the study and |
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recommendations for changes in law necessary to provide services to |
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or otherwise assist homeless youth. |
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(d) This section expires September 1, 2015. |
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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, 2013. |