| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 983 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to providing certain documents and training to children in |
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| 6 | 6 | | the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective |
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| 7 | 7 | | Services. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 264.014, Family Code, is amended to read |
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| 10 | 10 | | as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 264.014. PROVISION OF COPIES OF CERTAIN RECORDS. If, |
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| 12 | 12 | | at the time a child is discharged from foster care, the child is at |
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| 13 | 13 | | least 18 years of age or has had the disabilities of minority |
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| 14 | 14 | | removed, the department shall provide to the child, not later than |
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| 15 | 15 | | the 30th day before [after] the date the child is discharged from |
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| 16 | 16 | | foster care, a copy of: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) the child's birth certificate; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) the child's immunization records; [and] |
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| 19 | 19 | | (3) the information contained in the child's health |
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| 20 | 20 | | passport; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (4) a personal identification certificate under |
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| 22 | 22 | | Chapter 521, Transportation Code; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (5) a social security card or a replacement social |
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| 24 | 24 | | security card, if appropriate; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (6) proof of enrollment in Medicaid, if appropriate. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. (a) The Department of Family and Protective |
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| 27 | 27 | | Services, in cooperation with the Texas Education Agency and the |
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| 28 | 28 | | Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, shall develop a |
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| 29 | 29 | | plan to ensure that each child in the permanent managing |
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| 30 | 30 | | conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services |
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| 31 | 31 | | is provided the opportunity to complete a driver's education course |
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| 32 | 32 | | and to obtain a driver's license before the child leaves |
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| 33 | 33 | | conservatorship. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) Not later than December 1, 2010, the Department of |
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| 35 | 35 | | Family and Protective Services shall report to the legislature the |
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| 36 | 36 | | results of the plan under Subsection (a) of this section. The |
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| 37 | 37 | | report must include cost estimates for providing the driver's |
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| 38 | 38 | | education and methods for obtaining affordable liability insurance |
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| 39 | 39 | | for foster children. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act to Section |
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| 41 | 41 | | 264.014, Family Code, apply to any child in the conservatorship of |
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| 42 | 42 | | the Department of Family and Protective Services on or after the |
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| 43 | 43 | | effective date of this Act. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 47 | 47 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 983 passed the Senate on |
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| 48 | 48 | | April 16, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 983 passed the House on |
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| 52 | 52 | | May 5, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, two present |
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| 53 | 53 | | not voting. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 56 | 56 | | Approved: |
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| 57 | 57 | | ______________________________ |
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| 58 | 58 | | Date |
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| 59 | 59 | | ______________________________ |
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| 60 | 60 | | Governor |
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