84R1524 MCK-F
 
  By: Farrar H.B. No. 231
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to extending the court's jurisdiction in a suit affecting
  the parent-child relationship over certain young people for
  purposes of obtaining special immigrant juvenile status and
  Department of Family and Protective Services policies for handling
  cases involving those young people.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 101.003, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  In the context of applying for a court order relating
  to the special immigrant juvenile status of a person under Section
  101(a)(27)(J) of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act (8
  U.S.C. Section 1101(a)(27)(J)), "child" or "minor" includes a
  person who is:
               (1)  not a citizen of the United States;
               (2)  present in the United States;
               (3)  not married;
               (4)  under 21 years of age; and
               (5)  applying for a special immigrant juvenile visa.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 102, Family Code, is amended by adding
  Section 102.0115 to read as follows:
         Sec. 102.0115.  JURISDICTION IN CASES INVOLVING SPECIAL
  IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS.  The court has jurisdiction over a child
  with respect to issues relating to the child's special immigrant
  juvenile status if the child has filed or intends to file an
  application with the appropriate federal authority seeking special
  immigrant juvenile status as defined by Section 101(a)(27)(J) of
  the federal Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section
  1101(a)(27)(J)) for the child.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 155, Family Code, is
  amended by adding Section 155.006 to read as follows:
         Sec. 155.006.  EXTENDED JURISDICTION.  (a) If a child over
  whom the court has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction has filed or
  intends to file an application with the appropriate federal
  authority seeking special immigrant juvenile status as defined by
  Section 101(a)(27)(J) of the federal Immigration and Nationality
  Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101(a)(27)(J)), the court may extend the
  court's jurisdiction over the child after the child's 18th birthday
  until the earliest of:
               (1)  the child's 21st birthday;
               (2)  the date the child is granted lawful permanent
  resident status;
               (3)  the date an appeal of the denial of an application
  for permanent residency based on a petition for special immigrant
  juvenile status is denied; or
               (4)  if an appeal described by Subdivision (3) is not
  filed, the day after the last day to file an appeal of the denial of
  an application for permanent residency based on a petition for
  special immigrant juvenile status.
         (b)  The court's jurisdiction under this section is limited
  to issues relating to the child's special immigrant juvenile
  status.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code,
  is amended by adding Section 40.0529 to read as follows:
         Sec. 40.0529.  CASES INVOLVING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN. The
  department shall ensure that all cases in which the child is
  categorized as having an undetermined immigration status in the
  central registry of reported cases of child abuse or neglect
  established under Section 261.002, Family Code, are assigned to
  caseworkers who have experience preparing applications for special
  immigrant juvenile status and legal permanent resident status.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.