| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to certain requirements regarding court-appointed |
|
|
volunteer advocate programs. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 264.601, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subdivisions (1-a) and (1-b) to read as follows: |
|
|
(1-a) "Active volunteer advocate" means an individual |
|
|
who: |
|
|
(A) has been trained by a volunteer advocate |
|
|
program in accordance with recognized standards for volunteer |
|
|
advocate programs; and |
|
|
(B) is currently serving as a volunteer advocate |
|
|
on at least one child's case. |
|
|
(1-b) "Inactive volunteer advocate" means an |
|
|
individual who: |
|
|
(A) has been trained by a volunteer advocate |
|
|
program in accordance with recognized standards for volunteer |
|
|
advocate programs; and |
|
|
(B) is not currently serving as a volunteer |
|
|
advocate. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 264.603(a), Family Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The commission shall contract with one statewide |
|
|
organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under |
|
|
Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization |
|
|
described by Section 501(c)(3) of that code and that is composed of |
|
|
individuals or groups of individuals who have expertise in the |
|
|
dynamics of child abuse and neglect and experience in operating |
|
|
volunteer advocate programs to provide training, technical |
|
|
assistance, and evaluation services for the benefit of local |
|
|
volunteer advocate programs. The contract shall: |
|
|
(1) include measurable goals and objectives relating |
|
|
to the number of: |
|
|
(A) active volunteer advocates in the program; |
|
|
[and] |
|
|
(B) inactive volunteer advocates in the program; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(C) children receiving services from the |
|
|
program; and |
|
|
(2) follow practices designed to ensure compliance |
|
|
with standards referenced in the contract. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 264.604(a), Family Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) A person is eligible for a contract under Section |
|
|
264.602 only if the person is a public or private nonprofit entity |
|
|
that operates a volunteer advocate program that: |
|
|
(1) uses individuals appointed as volunteer advocates |
|
|
or guardians ad litem by the court to provide for the needs of |
|
|
abused or neglected children; |
|
|
(2) has provided court-appointed advocacy services |
|
|
for at least six months; |
|
|
(3) provides court-appointed advocacy services for at |
|
|
least 10 children each month; [and] |
|
|
(4) has demonstrated that the program has local |
|
|
judicial support; |
|
|
(5) has adopted a grievance procedure to address |
|
|
complaints regarding negligence or misconduct related to a |
|
|
volunteer advocate's duties under Section 107.002; and |
|
|
(6) maintains accurate records regarding active |
|
|
volunteer advocates and inactive volunteer advocates under the |
|
|
program. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |