88R358 MM-F
 
  By: Toth H.B. No. 336
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to notice regarding certain benefits for which a
  representative payee or fiduciary has been appointed for a child in
  the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective
  Services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
  amended by adding Section 264.0112 to read as follows:
         Sec. 264.0112.  NOTICE REGARDING CERTAIN BENEFITS FOR WHICH
  DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE OR FIDUCIARY FOR
  CHILD. (a) In this section, "legal representative" means the
  child's attorney, the child's attorney ad litem, or another
  individual appointed by a court to represent the legal interests of
  the child.
         (b)  For a child in the department's conservatorship who
  receives or is eligible to receive benefits or services for which a
  representative payee or fiduciary is required, the department shall
  immediately provide notice to the child through the child's legal
  representative regarding:
               (1)  any application for United States Department of
  Veterans Affairs benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq., or Social Security
  Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 401 et
  seq. made on the child's behalf;
               (2)  if the department serves as the representative
  payee or in any other fiduciary capacity for the child, any
  application to become representative payee for the child's United
  States Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, Supplemental
  Security Income (SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et
  seq., or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under
  42 U.S.C. Section 401 et seq.;
               (3)  any decisions or communications from the United
  States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Social Security
  Administration regarding an application described by Subdivision
  (1); and
               (4)  any appeal or other action requested by the
  department regarding an application for benefits described by
  Subdivision (1).
         (c)  If the department serves as the representative payee or
  otherwise receives United States Department of Veterans Affairs
  benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits under 42
  U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq., or Social Security Disability
  Insurance (SSDI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 401 et seq. on the
  child's behalf, the department shall provide the following
  information to the child through the child's legal representative
  before each placement review hearing:
               (1)  the amount of benefit funds received on the child's
  behalf since the most recent notification to the child's legal
  representative and the date the benefits were received;
               (2)  information regarding the child's assets and
  resources, including the child's benefits, insurance, cash assets,
  trust accounts, earnings, and other resources;
               (3)  an accounting of the disbursement of benefit
  funds, including the date, amount, and identification of the payee;
  and
               (4)  information regarding each request by the court
  appointed special advocate for the child, the child's legal
  representative, or the child's caregiver for disbursement of funds
  and a statement regarding the department's reason for not granting
  the request if the request was not granted.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.