| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to housing services provided through the transitional |
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| 8 | 6 | | living services program to certain children in the conservatorship |
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| 9 | 7 | | of the Department of Family and Protective Services. |
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| 10 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 264.121, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 10 | | adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 11 | | (i) The department shall ensure that the transition plan for |
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| 14 | 12 | | each youth 16 years of age or older includes provisions to assist |
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| 15 | 13 | | the youth in managing the youth's housing needs after the youth |
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| 16 | 14 | | leaves foster care, including provisions that: |
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| 17 | 15 | | (1) identify the cost of housing in relation to the |
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| 18 | 16 | | youth's sources of income, including any benefits or rental |
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| 19 | 17 | | assistance available to the youth; |
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| 20 | 18 | | (2) if the youth's housing goals include residing with |
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| 21 | 19 | | family or friends, state that the department has addressed the |
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| 22 | 20 | | following with the youth: |
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| 23 | 21 | | (A) the length of time the youth expects to stay |
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| 24 | 22 | | in the housing arrangement; |
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| 25 | 23 | | (B) expectations for the youth regarding paying |
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| 26 | 24 | | rent and meeting other household obligations; |
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| 27 | 25 | | (C) the youth's psychological and emotional |
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| 28 | 26 | | needs, as applicable; and |
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| 29 | 27 | | (D) any potential conflicts with other household |
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| 30 | 28 | | members, or any difficulties connected to the type of housing the |
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| 31 | 29 | | youth is seeking, that may arise based on the youth's psychological |
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| 32 | 30 | | and emotional needs; |
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| 33 | 31 | | (3) inform the youth about emergency shelters and |
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| 34 | 32 | | housing resources, including supervised independent living and |
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| 35 | 33 | | housing at colleges and universities, such as dormitories; |
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| 36 | 34 | | (4) require the department to review a common rental |
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| 37 | 35 | | application with the youth and ensure that the youth possesses all |
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| 38 | 36 | | of the documentation required to obtain rental housing; and |
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| 39 | 37 | | (5) identify any individuals who are able to serve as |
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| 40 | 38 | | cosigners or references on the youth's applications for housing. |
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| 41 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 40 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 41 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 42 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1117 passed the Senate on |
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| 43 | + | April 7, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 44 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 46 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1117 passed the House on |
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| 47 | + | May 8, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 1, two present |
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| 48 | + | not voting. |
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| 49 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 51 | + | Approved: |
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| 52 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 53 | + | Date |
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| 54 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | + | Governor |
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