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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to medical examinations for certain children entering the |
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conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 264.1076, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (i) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The department shall ensure that each child described by |
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Subsection (a) receives an initial medical examination from a |
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physician or other health care provider authorized under state law |
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to conduct medical examinations not later than the end of the third |
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business day after the date the child is removed from the child's |
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home, if the child: |
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(1) is removed as the result of sexual abuse, physical |
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abuse, or an obvious physical injury to the child; or |
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(2) has a known or suspected chronic medical |
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condition, [a] medically complex condition, or [a] diagnosed mental |
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illness. |
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(b-1) Only children described by Subsections (b)(1) and (2) |
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may receive an initial medical examination under Subsection (b). |
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(i) Not later than December 31, 2022 [2019], the department |
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shall submit a report to the standing committees of the house of |
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representatives and the senate with primary jurisdiction over child |
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protective services and foster care evaluating the statewide |
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implementation of the medical examination required by this section. |
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The report must include for each region of the state: |
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(1) the level of compliance with the requirements of |
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this section; and |
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(2) the number of medical examinations conducted under |
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Subsection (b) and the reason for each medical examination [in each |
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region of the state]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 264.1076(b-1), Family Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a child who enters the conservatorship of |
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the Department of Family and Protective Services on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A child who enters the conservatorship |
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of the Department of Family and Protective Services before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the child entered the conservatorship of the department, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |