BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 53
86R13159 MCK-F	By: Minjarez et al. (Powell)
	Health & Human Services
	4/24/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It is particularly important that young people in foster care receive supports that help prepare them for the transition to adulthood. H.B. 53 expands the experiential life-skills training program offered to youth in foster care.

Currently, foster care providers are required to provide life-skills training to children 14 and older. The bill amends the Family Code to require that this training include information on filing federal taxes, protecting sensitive personal information online, vehicle and residential property insurance, mental health services, and civic engagement.

H.B. 53 amends current law relating to the transitional living services program for certain youth in foster care.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 264.121(a-2) and (f), Family Code, as follows:

(a-2) Creates Subdivision (1) from existing text and redesignates existing Subdivisions (1)�(2) as Paragraphs (A)-(B) and existing Paragraphs (A)-(H) as Subparagraphs (A)(i)‑(xi). Requires the experiential life-skills training under Subsection (a-1) (relating to requiring the Department of Family and Protective Services to require a foster care provider to provide or assist certain foster youth in obtaining experiential life-skills training) to include:

(1) a financial literacy education program developed in collaboration with the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner and the State Securities Board that:

(A) includes instruction on:

(i)-(vi) makes no further changes to these subparagraphs;

(vii) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subparagraph;

(viii) understanding the time requirements and process for filing federal taxes;

(ix) protecting financial, credit, and personally identifying information in personal and professional relationships and online, rather than protecting financial, credit, and identifying information in personal and professional relationships;

(x) forms of identity and credit theft; and

(xi) using insurance to protect against the risk of financial loss; and

(B) assists a youth who has a source of income to:

(i) creates this subparagraph from existing text and makes a nonsubstantive change; and

(ii) prepare a monthly budget that includes the following expenses:

(a) rent based on the monthly rent for an apartment advertised for lease during the preceding month;

(b) utilities based on a reasonable utility bill in the area in which the youth resides;

(d) Internet service based on a reasonable bill for Internet service in the area in which the youth resides; and

(e) other reasonable monthly expenses; and

(2) for youth who are 17 years of age or older, lessons related to:

(A) insurance, including applying for and obtaining automobile insurance and residential property insurance, including tenants insurance; and

(B) civic engagement, including the process for registering to vote, the places to vote, and resources for information regarding upcoming elections.

(f) Requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to require a person with whom DFPS contracts for transitional living services for foster youth to provide or assist youth in obtaining:

(1)�(7) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(8) mental health services;

(9) financial literacy education and civic engagement lessons required under Subsection (a-2); and

(10) redesignates existing Subdivision (8) as Subdivision (10).

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.