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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing children committed to the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department with state-issued identification on discharge |
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or release. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 245.0535(e), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(e) The department may contract and coordinate with private |
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vendors, units of local government, or other entities to implement |
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the comprehensive reentry and reintegration plan developed under |
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this section, including contracting to: |
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(1) coordinate the supervision and services provided |
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to children during the time children are in the custody of the |
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department with any supervision or services provided children who |
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have been released under supervision or finally discharged from the |
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department; |
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(2) provide children awaiting release under |
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supervision or final discharge with documents that are necessary |
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after release or discharge, including identification papers that |
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include, if available, personal identification certificates |
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obtained under Section 245.0536, medical prescriptions, job |
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training certificates, and referrals to services; and |
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(3) provide housing and structured programs, |
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including programs for recovering substance abusers, through which |
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children are provided services immediately following release under |
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supervision or final discharge. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 245, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 245.0536 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 245.0536. PROVIDING RELEASED OR DISCHARGED CHILD WITH |
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STATE-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. (a) Before releasing a child under |
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supervision or finally discharging a child, the department shall: |
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(1) determine whether the child has: |
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(A) a valid license issued under Chapter 521, |
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Transportation Code; or |
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(B) a valid personal identification certificate |
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issued under Chapter 521, Transportation Code; and |
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(2) if the child does not have a valid license or |
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certificate described by Subdivision (1), submit to the Department |
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of Public Safety on behalf of the child a request for the issuance |
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of a personal identification certificate under Chapter 521, |
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Transportation Code. |
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(b) The department shall submit a request under Subsection |
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(a)(2) as soon as is practicable to enable the department to receive |
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the personal identification certificate before the department |
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releases or discharges the child and to provide the child with the |
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personal identification certificate when the department releases |
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or discharges the child. |
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(c) The department, the Department of Public Safety, and the |
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vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services |
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shall adopt a memorandum of understanding that establishes their |
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respective responsibilities with respect to the issuance of a |
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personal identification certificate to a child, including |
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responsibilities related to verification of the child's identity. |
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The memorandum of understanding must require the Department of |
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State Health Services to electronically verify the birth record of |
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a child whose name and any other personal information is provided by |
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the department and to electronically report the recorded filing |
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information to the Department of Public Safety to validate the |
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identity of a child under this section. |
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(d) The department shall reimburse the Department of Public |
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Safety or the Department of State Health Services for the actual |
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costs incurred by those agencies in performing responsibilities |
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established under this section. The department may charge the |
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child's parent or guardian for the actual costs incurred under this |
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section or the fees required by Section 521.421, Transportation |
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Code. |
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(e) This section does not apply to a child who: |
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(1) is not legally present in the United States; or |
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(2) was not a resident of this state before the child |
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was placed in the custody of the department. |
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SECTION 3. Section 521.421(a-1), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The fee for a personal identification certificate |
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issued under Section 501.0165, Government Code, [or] Section |
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841.153, Health and Safety Code, or Section 245.0536, Human |
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Resources Code, is $5. |
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SECTION 4. Section 245.0536, Human Resources Code, as added |
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by this Act, applies only to the release under supervision or final |
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discharge of a child that occurs on or after December 1, 2021. A |
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release under supervision or final discharge that occurs before |
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that date is governed by the law in effect immediately before the |
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effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |