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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the office of minority statistics and engagement in the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 40.044 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40.044. OFFICE OF MINORITY STATISTICS AND ENGAGEMENT. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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(2) "Office" means the office of minority statistics |
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and engagement established under this section. |
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(b) Using existing resources, the department, in |
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consultation with an institution of higher education and the child |
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welfare community, shall establish an office of minority statistics |
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and engagement within the department. The office shall address the |
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disproportionality in the rate of use of child protective and |
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welfare services by and the provision of those services to children |
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who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group and are in the |
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child welfare system. |
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(c) In collaboration with an institution of higher |
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education and appropriate persons in the child welfare community, |
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the office shall identify the causes of the disproportionality |
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described by Subsection (b) and develop recommendations for |
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addressing those causes and for improving the rate of use of child |
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protective and welfare services by and the provision of those |
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services to children and their families. In identifying the causes |
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and developing recommendations, the office shall: |
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(1) share with the institution any information |
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necessary for the institution to assist in identifying the causes |
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and developing recommendations; |
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(2) consider the unique needs and resources of this |
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state; and |
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(3) consider the outcomes for children in the child |
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welfare system and the services necessary to improve the outcomes. |
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(d) The office shall annually submit a written report to the |
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governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and chair of each standing legislative committee |
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with primary jurisdiction over the department that includes: |
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(1) the recommendations developed under Subsection |
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(c); |
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(2) methods to address disproportionality across the |
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child welfare system; and |
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(3) a summary of the initiatives developed by the |
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department during the preceding year to address the causes of |
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disproportionality identified in Subsection (c). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |