81R26408 MCK-D
By: Rose H.B. No. 4806
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to court-appointed volunteer advocates in certain suits
affecting the parent-child relationship.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 264.601(2), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(2) "Volunteer advocate program" means a
volunteer-based, nonprofit program that:
(A) provides advocacy services to abused or
neglected children with the goal of obtaining a permanent placement
for a child that is in the child's best interest; and
(B) complies with recognized standards for
volunteer advocate programs.
SECTION 2. Section 264.602, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
follows:
(a) The statewide organization with which the attorney
general contracts under Section 264.603 shall contract for services
with eligible volunteer advocate programs to provide advocacy
services to abused or neglected children [expand the existing
services of the programs].
(f) Expenses incurred by a volunteer advocate program to
promote public awareness of the need for volunteer advocates or to
explain the work performed by volunteer advocates are not
considered administrative expenses for the purpose of Section
264.603(b).
SECTION 3. Section 264.603(a), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The attorney general shall contract with one statewide
organization 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 [require] measurable goals and objectives
relating to the number of:
(A) volunteer advocates in the program; and
(B) children receiving services from the
program; and
(2) follow practices designed to ensure compliance
with standards referenced in the contract [for expanding local
volunteer child advocate programs to areas of the state in which
those programs do not exist].
SECTION 4. 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 [two years];
(3) provides court-appointed advocacy services for at
least 10 children each month; and
(4) has demonstrated that the program has local
judicial support.
SECTION 5. The following provisions of the Family Code are
repealed:
(1) Section 264.602(c); and
(2) Sections 264.607(b) and (c).
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.