| 1 | 1 | | By: Leach H.B. No. 3730 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the creation of a committee to study adoption practices |
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| 7 | 7 | | in this state. |
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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. Subchapter G, Chapter 162, Family Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 162.603 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 162.603. ADOPTION PRACTICES COMMITTEE. (a) The |
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| 12 | 12 | | adoption practices committee is created to study and make |
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| 13 | 13 | | recommendations for improving adoption practices in this state. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b) The committee consists of nine members appointed by the |
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| 15 | 15 | | executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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| 16 | 16 | | in consultation with the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the |
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| 17 | 17 | | house of representatives, as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) a member of the house of representatives; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) a member of the senate; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) a manager of the Department of Family and |
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| 21 | 21 | | Protective Services with experience in adoption related issues; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) a representative of a family violence advocacy |
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| 23 | 23 | | center; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (5) a member who |
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| 25 | 25 | | is an adoption lawyer; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (6) an Administrator from a licensed child placing |
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| 27 | 27 | | agency with experience in both state contract and private adoption; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (7) a member who is a psychiatrist; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (8) three members who are adoptive parents. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c) Not later than June 1, 2018, the adoption practices |
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| 31 | 31 | | committee shall prepare and submit to the office of the governor and |
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| 32 | 32 | | the legislature a written report regarding the committee's |
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| 33 | 33 | | findings and recommendations. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) This section expires September 1, 2018. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2016, the executive |
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| 36 | 36 | | commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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| 37 | 37 | | appoint the members of the adoption practices committee under |
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| 38 | 38 | | Section 162.603, Family Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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