Honorable David Dewhurst, Lieutenant Governor, Senate
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB534 by West (Relating to requiring permanency planning meetings for certain children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.), As Passed 2nd House
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Chapters 263 and 264 of the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to hold a permanency planning meeting (PPM) at specific intervals for children in temporary managing conservatorship. The bill would require DFPS to make reasonable efforts to include certain parties in the PPM and to give notice of each PPM, by email if possible, to those parties specified in the bill.
A substitute care provider that contracts with DFPS would be required to include in a discharge notice: 1) the reason for the child's discharge, and 2) the provider's recommendation regarding future placements for the child that would increase the child's opportunity to attain a stable placement. The bill also expands the placement review report for a court hearing to include placement changes since the last court hearing and any barriers to sustaining the child's placement, including any reason for which a substitute care provider has requested a placement change.
The provisions of the bill would apply only to children placed in temporary managing conservatorship of DFPS on or after September 1, 2013.
DFPS does not anticipate any significant fiscal impact as a result of complying with the provisions of the bill.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.