Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB2659 Compare Versions

The same version is selected twice. Please select two different versions to compare.

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R14081 KFF-D
2	2	By: Villarreal, et al. H.B. No. 2659
3	3	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2659:
4	4	By: Rose C.S.H.B. No. 2659
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to an outreach campaign to promote fathers' involvement
10	10	with their children before birth.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Health and Safety
13	13	Code, is amended by adding Section 32.0211 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 32.0211. WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM OUTREACH
15	15	CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE FATHERS' INVOLVEMENT. (a) The attorney general
16	16	shall:
17	17	(1) subject to Subsection (b), develop and
18	18	periodically update a publication that:
19	19	(A) describes the importance and long-term
20	20	positive effects on children of a father's involvement during a
21	21	mother's pregnancy; and
22	22	(B) provides guidance to prospective fathers on
23	23	the positive actions that they can take to support the pregnant
24	24	mother during pregnancy and the effect those actions have on
25	25	pregnancy outcomes; and
26	26	(2) make the publication described by Subdivision (1)
27	27	available to any agency, organization, or other entity that
28	28	contracts with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
29	29	Women, Infants and Children and on the attorney general's Internet
30	30	website in a format that allows the public to download and print the
31	31	publication.
32	32	(b) The publication developed by the attorney general under
33	33	Subsection (a) must include:
34	34	(1) information regarding the steps that unmarried
35	35	parents must take if the parents want to establish legal paternity
36	36	and the benefits of paternity establishment for children;
37	37	(2) a worksheet to help fathers identify personal risk
38	38	behaviors, including smoking, substance abuse, and unemployment;
39	39	(3) information regarding how a father's personal risk
40	40	behaviors may affect the father's child and a guide to resources
41	41	that are available to the father to assist in making necessary
42	42	lifestyle changes;
43	43	(4) information for fathers about the mother's
44	44	prenatal health, including the emotional and physical changes a
45	45	mother will experience throughout pregnancy, the mother's
46	46	nutritional needs, and an explanation of how the father may help the
47	47	mother meet those needs;
48	48	(5) an explanation of prenatal health care visits,
49	49	including an explanation of what they are and what to expect, and
50	50	the practical ways a father may support the mother throughout
51	51	pregnancy;
52	52	(6) information regarding a child's prenatal health,
53	53	including the child's developmental stages, the importance of
54	54	attending prenatal health care visits, the practical ways a father
55	55	may contribute to healthy baby outcomes, and actions the father may
56	56	take to prepare for the birth of a child;
57	57	(7) an explanation regarding prenatal tests,
58	58	including an explanation of what the tests are and what tests to
59	59	expect;
60	60	(8) basic infant care information, including:
61	61	(A) information regarding the basics of
62	62	dressing, diapering, bathing, consoling, and stimulating an
63	63	infant;
64	64	(B) health and safety issues, including issues
65	65	relating to nutritional information, sleep needs and expectations,
66	66	baby-proofing a home, and what to expect at the first well-child
67	67	visits; and
68	68	(C) information on bonding and attachment and how
69	69	each relates to an infant's development;
70	70	(9) healthy relationship and coparenting information,
71	71	including:
72	72	(A) communication strategies, conflict
73	73	resolution strategies, and problem-solving techniques for
74	74	coparenting; and
75	75	(B) expectations and realities for the couple,
76	76	whether romantically involved or not, during pregnancy and after
77	77	the baby arrives;
78	78	(10) information to help the father understand the
79	79	mother's circumstances and responsibilities, and methods for
80	80	supporting her;
81	81	(11) worksheets, activities, and exercises to aid
82	82	fathers and the couple in exploring the following topics:
83	83	(A) personal ideas about fatherhood and the role
84	84	of the father in the family system;
85	85	(B) the immediate and long-term benefits of
86	86	father involvement specific to their family; and
87	87	(C) perceived barriers to father involvement and
88	88	strategies for overcoming those barriers; and
89	89	(12) activities and projects for fathers that increase
90	90	the fathers' understanding of the stages of child developmental and
91	91	health and safety issues.
92	92	(c) An agency, organization, or other entity that contracts
93	93	with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants
94	94	and Children shall provide the publication described by Subsection
95	95	(a) to each pregnant woman receiving clinical or nutritional
96	96	services under the program and to the prospective father of her
97	97	child, if possible.
98	98	SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 32.0211(c), Health and
99	99	Safety Code, as added by this Act, an agency, organization, or other
100	100	entity providing services under the Special Supplemental Nutrition
101	101	Program for Women, Infants and Children is not required to comply
102	102	with that section until the attorney general makes the publication
103	103	available as described by Section 32.0211(a)(2), Health and Safety
104	104	Code, as added by this Act.
105	105	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
106	106	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
107	107	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
108	108	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
109	109	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.