Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2331 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R12420 MM-F
2	2	By: Dukes, Minjarez H.B. No. 2331
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a pilot program to increase the financial independence
8	8	of foster children who are transitioning to independent living.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 264.1212 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 264.1212. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FINANCIAL TRANSITIONAL
13	13	LIVING SERVICES. (a) The department shall establish a pilot
14	14	program to assist foster children in the conservatorship of the
15	15	department to achieve financial security and independence as the
16	16	children transition to independent living.
17	17	(b) The department shall enter into an agreement with a
18	18	credit union or other financial institution to establish savings
19	19	accounts for foster children who, under an agreement with the
20	20	department and credit union or other financial institution,
21	21	participate in the pilot program. The agreement may include, as
22	22	appropriate, the following terms:
23	23	(1) subject to Subsection (j), a prohibition on a
24	24	foster child withdrawing money from the savings account until the
25	25	earlier of:
26	26	(A) the first anniversary of the date the first
27	27	deposit is made into the savings account; or
28	28	(B) the date the balance in the savings account
29	29	first equals or exceeds $2,000;
30	30	(2) a requirement that the department and the credit
31	31	union or other financial institution together encourage the foster
32	32	children participating in the program to open private savings
33	33	accounts once the participants are no longer eligible for foster
34	34	care services; and
35	35	(3) procedures to transfer ownership and control of
36	36	the account to the participants exiting the program who are no
37	37	longer eligible for foster care services.
38	38	(c) The department may seek to partner with a person,
39	39	including a foundation, to match the amounts of money deposited
40	40	into the foster children savings accounts under the pilot program.
41	41	The matching funds must be deposited directly into the child's
42	42	savings account.
43	43	(d) The department and the person selected as a partner
44	44	under Subsection (c) may jointly establish incentives to provide
45	45	financial rewards to foster children for actions performed by the
46	46	children, including college visits or attendance at financial
47	47	education classes. The financial rewards may only be paid by the
48	48	person and are not available for matching funds provided under
49	49	Subsection (c).
50	50	(e) Not later than January 1 of each even-numbered year, the
51	51	department may select not more than 20 foster children who are age
52	52	16 or older to participate in the pilot program established under
53	53	this section.
54	54	(f) Money that may be deposited in a foster child's savings
55	55	account established under the pilot program includes:
56	56	(1) money earned by the child through employment or
57	57	allowance;
58	58	(2) gift money;
59	59	(3) money deposited by the child's foster parent or by
60	60	a parent or other relative of the child;
61	61	(4) money received from the person selected as a
62	62	partner under Subsection (c) as financial incentives or matching
63	63	funds; and
64	64	(5) other money authorized under the department's
65	65	agreement with the credit union or other financial institution.
66	66	(g) The department shall survey each foster child who enters
67	67	and exits the pilot program. The survey must be designed to assess
68	68	any changes in the child's attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge
69	69	about financial matters from the time the child entered the program
70	70	until the child exited the program.
71	71	(h) The department shall complete an evaluation of the pilot
72	72	program not later than December 31, 2022.
73	73	(i) The department shall submit a report on the evaluation
74	74	of the pilot program conducted under Subsection (h) to the
75	75	governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
76	76	representatives as soon as the evaluation is complete. The
77	77	department shall submit a second report evaluating the pilot
78	78	program to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
79	79	house of representatives not later than December 31, 2024.
80	80	(j) A foster child may not be denied the rights granted
81	81	under Section 264.0111 to control money earned by the child that is
82	82	deposited into a savings account under the pilot program.
83	83	(k) This section expires December 31, 2024.
84	84	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
85	85	of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services shall
86	86	establish the pilot program as required by Section 264.1212, Family
87	87	Code, as added by this Act.
88	88	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.