| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to standards for certain child-care facilities that detain |
|
|
unaccompanied children. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 42.067 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 42.067. STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL DETENTION |
|
|
FACILITIES. (a) This section applies only to a residential |
|
|
child-care facility that: |
|
|
(1) is operated by or under a contract with United |
|
|
States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal |
|
|
immigration laws; and |
|
|
(2) detains a child who is not accompanied by or in the |
|
|
physical custody of a parent, guardian, or other adult family |
|
|
member. |
|
|
(b) The commission shall adopt rules that require a |
|
|
residential child-care facility described by Subsection (a) to: |
|
|
(1) allow each child described by Subsection (a)(2) |
|
|
who is detained in the facility to: |
|
|
(A) contact the child's parent, guardian, or |
|
|
other adult family member at least two times each week by telephone, |
|
|
video conference, or similar form of communication; and |
|
|
(B) visit in person with the child's parent, |
|
|
guardian, or other adult family member; and |
|
|
(2) follow a protocol of trauma-informed care in |
|
|
providing services to the child. |
|
|
(c) If a child-care facility described by Subsection (a) is |
|
|
located 30 miles or less from the facility in which a child's |
|
|
parent, guardian, or other adult family member is detained, the |
|
|
child-care facility shall exercise its best efforts to ensure the |
|
|
child has in-person visits with the child's parent, guardian, or |
|
|
other adult family member. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |