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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to membership on county Child Welfare Boards in certain |
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counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. - TEXAS FAMILY CODE |
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Texas Family Code Sec. 264.005 is amended to read as follows: |
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264.005 COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARDS. |
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(a) The commissioners court of a county may appoint a child |
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welfare board for the county. The commissioners court and the |
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department shall determine the size of the board and the |
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qualifications of its members. However, a board must have not less |
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than seven and not more than 15 members,.and tThe members must be |
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residents of the county, except in counties with a population less |
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than 500,000 no more than one-third of the members may be residents |
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of contiguous counties. The members shall serve at the pleasure of |
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the commissioners court and may be removed by the court for just |
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cause. The members serve without compensation. |
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(b) With the approval of the department, two or more counties may |
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establish a joint child welfare board if that action is found to be |
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more practical in accomplishing the purposes of this chapter. A |
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board representing more than one county has the same powers as a |
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board representing a single county and is subject to the same |
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conditions and liabilities. |
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(c) The members of a county child welfare board shall select a |
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presiding officer and shall perform the duties required by the |
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commissioners court and the department to accomplish the purposes |
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of this chapter. |
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(d) A county child welfare board is an entity of the department for |
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purposes of providing coordinated state and local public welfare |
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services for children and their families and for the coordinated |
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use of federal, state, and local funds for these services. The |
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child welfare board shall work with the commissioners court. |
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(e) A county child welfare board is a governmental unit for the |
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purposes of Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. |
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(f) A county child protective services board member may receive |
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information that is confidential under Section 40.005, Human |
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Resources Code, or Section 261.201 when the board member is acting |
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in the member's official capacity. |
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(g) A child welfare board may conduct a closed meeting under |
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Section 551.101, Government Code, to discuss, consider, or act on a |
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matter that is confidential under Section 40.005, Human Resources |
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Code, or Section 261.201. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |