By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1723
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an informational manual for voluntary caregivers who
provide temporary care for children who are the subject of an
investigation by the Department of Family and Protective Services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 261.3071, Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 261.3071. INFORMATIONAL MANUALS. (a) In this
section:
(1) "Designated caregiver" and[,] "relative
caregiver" [and "designated caregiver"] have the meanings assigned
those terms by Section 264.751.
(2) "Voluntary caregiver" means a person who
voluntarily agrees to provide temporary care for a child:
(A) who is the subject of an investigation by the
department or whose parent, managing conservator, possessory
conservator, guardian, caretaker, or custodian is receiving
family-based safety services from the department;
(B) who is not in the conservatorship of the
department; and
(C) who is placed in the care of the person by the
parent or other person having legal custody of the child.
(b) The department shall develop and publish informational
manuals that provide information for:
(1) a parent or other person having custody of a child
who is the subject of an investigation under this chapter; [and]
(2) a person who is selected by the department to be
the child's relative or designated caregiver; and
(3) a voluntary caregiver.
(c) Information provided in the manuals must be in both
English and Spanish and must include, as appropriate:
(1) useful indexes of information such as telephone
numbers;
(2) the information required to be provided under
Section 261.307(a)(1);
(3) information describing the rights and duties of a
relative or designated caregiver; [and]
(4) information regarding the relative and other
designated caregiver program under Subchapter I, Chapter 264; and
(5) information regarding the role of a voluntary
caregiver, including information on how to obtain any documentation
necessary to provide for a child's needs.
SECTION 2. 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.