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