Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB188 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R457 KSD-D
2	2	By: Alonzo H.B. No. 188
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the rights of children and the education of parents
8	8	regarding their duties as parents.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	ARTICLE 1. CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS
11	11	SECTION 1.01. Chapter 151, Family Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Section 151.005 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 151.005. CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. (a) It is the
14	14	intent of the legislature to ensure that:
15	15	(1) children are the number one priority of this
16	16	state; and
17	17	(2) parents are educated regarding their duties under
18	18	law as the primary protectors of their children.
19	19	(b) It is the policy of this state that each child has the
20	20	right to:
21	21	(1) live in a safe, healthy, and comfortable home in
22	22	which the child is treated with respect;
23	23	(2) be free from physical, sexual, emotional, and
24	24	other abuse or neglect and any form of discipline that humiliates or
25	25	demeans the child;
26	26	(3) receive adequate and healthy food;
27	27	(4) receive access to a quality education; and
28	28	(5) receive appropriate medical, dental, vision, and
29	29	mental health services.
30	30	SECTION 1.02. Chapter 265, Family Code, is amended by
31	31	adding Section 265.006 to read as follows:
32	32	Sec. 265.006. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN
33	33	REGARDING CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. (a) Not later than September
34	34	1, 2010, the department shall develop and implement a statewide
35	35	public awareness and outreach campaign designed to educate the
36	36	public regarding the legislature's adoption and content of the
37	37	children's bill of rights under Section 151.005.
38	38	(b) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
39	39	donations from any public or private source for purposes of this
40	40	section.
41	41	(c) This section expires December 31, 2011.
42	42	SECTION 1.03. Subchapter A, Chapter 192, Health and Safety
43	43	Code, is amended by adding Section 192.0035 to read as follows:
44	44	Sec. 192.0035. PRESENTATION TO PARENTS OF PROCLAMATION OF
45	45	CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. (a) As soon as practicable after a
46	46	child's birth or adoption certificate is filed under this chapter
47	47	or a child's birth is reported under this chapter, the department
48	48	shall present to each of the child's parents a written proclamation
49	49	of the children's bill of rights prescribed by Section 151.005,
50	50	Family Code.
51	51	(b) The department, in consultation with the office of the
52	52	governor, shall establish the form, content, and manner of
53	53	presentation of the proclamation required by this section. The
54	54	proclamation must include a signed statement from the governor
55	55	congratulating the parent on the child's birth and informing the
56	56	parent of the parent's duties in relation to the child imposed under
57	57	the Family Code and other law.
58	58	(c) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
59	59	Services Commission shall adopt rules for the administration of
60	60	this section.
61	61	ARTICLE 2. FAMILY EDUCATION CENTERS
62	62	SECTION 2.01. Subchapter F, Chapter 130, Education Code, is
63	63	amended by adding Section 130.093 to read as follows:
64	64	Sec. 130.093. FAMILY EDUCATION CENTERS. (a) The board of
65	65	trustees of a junior college district may establish, in conjunction
66	66	with other public or private institutions of higher education and
67	67	other participating private entities, a family education center.
68	68	The family education center must be administered under a formal
69	69	agreement entered into by the district with the other member
70	70	institutions and entities.
71	71	(b) The family education center shall provide comprehensive
72	72	family educational activities and training to the residents of the
73	73	region in which the center is located.
74	74	(c) The member institutions and entities of the family
75	75	education center shall establish the curriculum for the center in
76	76	consultation with the prevention and early intervention services
77	77	division of the Department of Family and Protective Services. The
78	78	curriculum must be designed to:
79	79	(1) educate parents regarding their duties under law
80	80	as the primary protectors of their children;
81	81	(2) promote the prevention and amelioration of child
82	82	abuse and neglect;
83	83	(3) reduce the need for state and local services
84	84	addressing child maltreatment; and
85	85	(4) engage family members in individual and group
86	86	sessions designed to:
87	87	(A) prevent the occurrence of family violence;
88	88	(B) address addiction problems and other mental
89	89	health issues of family members;
90	90	(C) equip family members with strategies to
91	91	reduce stress and anxiety and creative ideas for family activities;
92	92	(D) foster communication, respect, forgiveness,
93	93	and intimacy among family members;
94	94	(E) build self-esteem;
95	95	(F) develop short- and long-term family goals;
96	96	(G) develop vocational skills;
97	97	(H) develop life skills, including skills
98	98	relating to parenting, discipline, positive reinforcement, infant
99	99	care, household budgeting, financial planning, daily planning of
100	100	household chores, nutrition and wellness, personal care, and
101	101	community volunteerism; and
102	102	(I) address any other family educational goals of
103	103	the local community served by the center.
104	104	(d) The member institutions and entities of the family
105	105	education center shall work with the local community to identify
106	106	and offer courses that will meet the family educational goals for
107	107	the region served by the center.
108	108	(e) The member institutions and entities of the family
109	109	education center, under the terms of the formal agreement, may make
110	110	provisions for adequate physical facilities for use by the center.
111	111	(f) The member institutions and entities of the family
112	112	education center may solicit, accept, and administer, on terms
113	113	acceptable to the members, gifts, grants, and donations of any kind
114	114	and from any public or private source for use by the center.
115	115	SECTION 2.02. Chapter 265, Family Code, is amended by adding
116	116	Sections 265.007 and 265.008 to read as follows:
117	117	Sec. 265.007. FAMILY EDUCATION CENTER CURRICULUM
118	118	DEVELOPMENT. On request by the member institutions and entities of
119	119	a family education center established under Section 130.093,
120	120	Education Code, the department shall assist the member institutions
121	121	and entities in developing a comprehensive curriculum for the
122	122	center designed to meet the goals prescribed by Section 130.093(c),
123	123	Education Code.
124	124	Sec. 265.008. FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING FAMILY EDUCATION
125	125	CENTERS; REPORT. (a) The department shall evaluate the feasibility
126	126	of requiring certain families who are the subject of a report of
127	127	alleged abuse or neglect of a child under this subtitle to
128	128	participate in educational activities offered by a family education
129	129	center established under Section 130.093, Education Code, as an
130	130	alternative to removing the child from the child's home.
131	131	(b) Not later than December 1, 2010, the department shall
132	132	prepare and submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
133	133	house of representatives, and the members of the legislature a
134	134	report containing the department's findings regarding the
135	135	feasibility study conducted by the department under Subsection (a)
136	136	and the department's recommendations regarding whether family
137	137	education centers should be established statewide.
138	138	(c) This section expires September 1, 2011.
139	139	ARTICLE 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
140	140	SECTION 3.01. This Act takes effect immediately if it
141	141	receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
142	142	house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
143	143	If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
144	144	effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.