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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to family violence center services for victims of family |
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violence. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.002, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by amending Subdivisions (1), (2), and (9) and adding Subdivisions |
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(1-a), (1-b), and (8-a) to read as follows: |
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(1) "Dating relationship" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 71.0021(b), Family Code. |
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(1-a) "Dating violence" means an act, other than a |
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defensive measure to protect oneself, by an individual against |
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another individual with whom the actor has or has had a dating |
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relationship and that is: |
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(A) intended to result in physical harm, bodily |
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injury, assault, or sexual assault; |
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(B) a threat that reasonably places an individual |
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in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or |
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sexual assault; or |
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(C) intended to inflict emotional harm, |
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including an act of emotional abuse. |
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(1-b) "Family" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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71.003, Family Code. |
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(2) "Family violence" means: |
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(A) an act by a member of a family or household |
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against another member of the family or household that: |
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(i) [(A)] is intended to result in physical |
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harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault or that is a threat |
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that reasonably places the member in fear of imminent physical |
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harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault, but does not |
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include defensive measures to protect oneself; or |
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(ii) [(B)] is intended to inflict emotional |
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harm, including an act of emotional abuse; or |
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(B) dating violence. |
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(8-a) "Trauma-informed" in regard to a service or |
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service model means that the service or service model is provided in |
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a manner that recognizes and responds to the signs and symptoms of |
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trauma in, and the risks of trauma to, a victim of family violence |
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to better support the victim and promote the victim's choice, |
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trust, dignity, connection, and healing. |
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(9) "Victim of family violence" means: |
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(A) an adult member of a family or household who |
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is subjected to an act of family violence; [or] |
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(B) a member of the household of the adult |
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described by Paragraph (A), other than the member of the household |
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who commits the act of family violence, including an act of |
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emotional abuse; or |
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(C) an individual who is subjected to an act of |
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dating violence. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 51.004(a) and (b), Human Resources |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible for a contract under Section 51.003(a), a |
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family violence shelter center must: |
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(1) provide temporary lodging and direct delivery of |
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services for adults and their dependents; |
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(2) have been in actual operation offering shelter |
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services 24 hours a day with a capacity for not less than five |
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persons for at least one year before the date on which the contract |
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is awarded; |
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(3) demonstrate that the center, through the services |
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it provides, is addressing a need in the community consistent with |
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the plan for family violence services under Section 51.0021; [and] |
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(4) demonstrate that the center is using a voluntary |
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and trauma-informed advocacy service model that respects an |
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individual's needs; and |
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(5) submit a contract application on forms prescribed |
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by the commission. |
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(b) To be eligible for a contract under Section 51.003(a), a |
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family violence nonresidential center must: |
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(1) provide, as its primary purpose, direct delivery |
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of services to adult victims of family violence; |
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(2) demonstrate a system of referring victims of |
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family violence to at least one family violence shelter center or |
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other safe temporary lodging; |
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(3) have been operating and providing comprehensive |
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services, including the services described by Section |
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51.005(b)(3), to victims of family violence for at least one year |
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before the date on which the contract is awarded; |
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(4) demonstrate that the center, through the services |
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it provides, is addressing a need in the community consistent with |
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the plan for family violence services under Section 51.0021; [and] |
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(5) demonstrate that the center is using a voluntary |
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and trauma-informed advocacy service model that respects an |
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individual's needs; and |
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(6) submit a contract application on forms prescribed |
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by the commission. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.005, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) The contracts shall require the persons operating a |
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family violence center to: |
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(1) make a quarterly and an annual financial report on |
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a form prescribed by the commission; |
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(2) cooperate with inspections the commission makes to |
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ensure services standards and fiscal responsibility; and |
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(3) provide, as its primary purpose, voluntary and |
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trauma-informed services to victims of family violence that |
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include: |
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(A) 24-hour-a-day shelter, except that a family |
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violence nonresidential center may provide access to a |
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24-hour-a-day shelter; |
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(B) a 24-hour-a-day crisis hotline, except that a |
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family violence nonresidential center may provide access to a |
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24-hour-a-day crisis hotline operated by another organization |
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located in the nonresidential center's service area; |
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(C) access to emergency medical care; |
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(D) crisis and intervention services, including |
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[safety planning,] understanding and support, information, |
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education, referrals, and other resource assistance; |
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(E) access to emergency transportation; |
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(F) advocacy focused on: |
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(i) economic and housing stability; |
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(ii) physical, behavioral, and mental |
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health; |
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(iii) the needs of children who are victims |
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and the children of victims; and |
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(iv) [legal assistance in] the civil and |
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criminal legal [justice] systems, including: |
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(a)[(i)] identifying individual |
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needs, legal rights, and legal options; and |
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(b)[(ii)] providing support and |
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accompaniment in pursuing those options; |
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(G) ongoing safety planning services in |
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collaboration with the self-stated priorities and needs of the |
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victim of family violence [information about educational |
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arrangements for children]; |
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(H) community education regarding family |
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violence and family violence prevention efforts [information about |
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training for and seeking employment]; |
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(I) counseling services [cooperation with |
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criminal justice officials]; and |
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(J) peer support services led by victims of |
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family violence, including activities and other efforts that |
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facilitate connections and the creation of community among victims |
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of family violence [community education; |
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[(K) a referral system to existing community |
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services; and |
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[(L) a volunteer recruitment and training |
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program]. |
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(b-1) The contracts shall: |
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(1) specify that participation in services by a victim |
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of family violence is voluntary; and |
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(2) prohibit the persons operating a family violence |
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center from requiring a victim of family violence to participate in |
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other services as a condition of receiving shelter. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a contract entered into or amended on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. A contract entered into or amended before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the |
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contract was entered into or amended, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2024. |
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* * * * * |