| 1 | 1 | | By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 1589 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (Dukes) |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to assistance and education regarding personal finance for |
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| 8 | 8 | | certain children in foster care. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 264.121, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | amending Subsections (a-1) and (f) and adding Subsection (a-2) to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a-1) The department shall require a foster care provider to |
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| 14 | 14 | | provide or assist youth who are age 14 or older in obtaining |
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| 15 | 15 | | experiential life-skills training to improve their transition to |
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| 16 | 16 | | independent living. Experiential life-skills training must be |
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| 17 | 17 | | tailored to a youth's skills and abilities and may include training |
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| 18 | 18 | | in practical activities that include grocery shopping, meal |
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| 19 | 19 | | preparation and cooking, using public transportation, and |
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| 20 | 20 | | performing basic household tasks[, and balancing a checkbook]. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (a-2) The experiential life-skills training under |
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| 22 | 22 | | Subsection (a-1) must include a financial literacy education |
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| 23 | 23 | | program that: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) includes instruction on: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) obtaining and interpreting a credit score; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) protecting, repairing, and improving a |
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| 27 | 27 | | credit score; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (C) avoiding predatory lending practices; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (D) saving money and accomplishing financial |
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| 30 | 30 | | goals through prudent financial management practices; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (E) using basic banking and accounting skills, |
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| 32 | 32 | | including balancing a checkbook; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (F) using debit and credit cards responsibly; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (G) understanding a paycheck and items withheld |
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| 35 | 35 | | from a paycheck; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (H) protecting financial, credit, and |
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| 37 | 37 | | identifying information in personal and professional |
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| 38 | 38 | | relationships; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) assists a youth who has a source of income to |
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| 40 | 40 | | establish a savings plan and, if available, a savings account that |
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| 41 | 41 | | the youth can independently manage. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (f) The department shall require a person with whom the |
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| 43 | 43 | | department contracts for transitional living services for foster |
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| 44 | 44 | | youth to provide or assist youth in obtaining: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) housing services; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) job training and employment services; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) college preparation services; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (4) services that will assist youth in obtaining a |
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| 49 | 49 | | general education development certificate; [and] |
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| 50 | 50 | | (5) a savings or checking account if the youth is at |
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| 51 | 51 | | least 18 years of age and has a source of income; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (6) any other appropriate transitional living service |
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| 53 | 53 | | identified by the department. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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