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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to adverse disproportionalities within the child |
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protective services system. |
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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 40.028 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40.028. ANALYZING AND ADDRESSING ADVERSE |
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DISPROPORTIONALITY. (a) The commissioner shall analyze the |
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adverse disproportionate involvement of children who are members of |
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a demographic group in the child protective services system, |
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including at each stage of child protective services |
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investigations. |
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(b) On identifying an adverse disproportionality described |
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by Subsection (a), the commissioner shall: |
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(1) establish a team to address the |
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disproportionality; and |
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(2) notify the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker |
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of the house of representatives, and chairs of the standing |
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committees of the senate and house of representatives having |
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primary jurisdiction over the department of the |
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disproportionality. |
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(c) In appointing members to a team to address the adverse |
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disproportionality, the commissioner shall appoint representatives |
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with expertise in different subjects relevant to the |
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disproportionality. |
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(d) The commissioner shall direct the team to: |
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(1) research an evidence-based approach to address the |
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adverse disproportionality; |
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(2) identify resources for addressing and eliminating |
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or reducing the disproportionality; and |
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(3) assist the commissioner in obtaining those |
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resources from and if necessary requesting those resources from the |
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legislature. |
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(e) The commissioner shall set a time to complete the |
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elimination or reduction of the adverse disproportionality and |
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measures for determining whether the disproportionality has been |
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eliminated or reduced. |
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(f) As soon as practicable, the commissioner shall report to |
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the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and chairs of the standing committees of the |
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senate and house of representatives having primary jurisdiction |
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over the department on: |
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(1) the evidence-based approach the department will |
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use to eliminate or reduce the adverse disproportionality; |
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(2) the resources needed to eliminate or reduce the |
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disproportionality; |
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(3) the time set to complete the elimination or |
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reduction of the disproportionality; and |
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(4) the strategic plan and measures to eliminate or |
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reduce the adverse disproportionality. |
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(g) At the conclusion of the time set by the commissioner to |
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complete the elimination or reduction of the adverse |
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disproportionality, the commissioner shall report to the governor, |
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lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and |
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chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of |
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representatives having primary jurisdiction over the department: |
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(1) the results of the department's evidence-based |
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approach to eliminating or reducing the disproportionality; and |
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(2) if the department's approach: |
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(A) successfully eliminated or reduced the |
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disproportionality, the department's plan for ensuring the |
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disproportionality is not reinstated or expanded; or |
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(B) failed to eliminate or reduce the |
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disproportionality: |
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(i) the reasons the approach failed; and |
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(ii) the new strategic plan and measures |
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the department will implement to eliminate or reduce the |
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disproportionality. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |