85R11967 MK-D
By: Swanson H.B. No. 3562
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to authorizing the foster parent of a foster child to take
certain actions to protect the child from violence and kidnapping.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 262, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 262.015 to read as follows:
Sec. 262.015. USE OF ASSUMED NAME FOR CHILD. (a) At a
hearing held under this chapter or Chapter 263, if the court makes a
finding that there is reasonable cause to believe that a child is at
risk for violence or kidnapping perpetrated by the child's parent
or a person associated with the child's parent, the court may render
an order authorizing the foster parent of the child to:
(1) enroll the child in school and age-appropriate
normalcy activities, as that term is defined by Section 264.001,
under an assumed name; or
(2) move the child to a location outside of the county
in which the foster parent resides.
(b) If the court authorizes a foster parent of a child to
enroll the child in school or age-appropriate normalcy activities
under an assumed name, the foster parent shall choose an assumed
name for the child and shall notify the Department of Family and
Protective Services and the court of the assumed name. The court
and the department may not disclose the assumed name chosen for the
child to any other party to the suit involving the child, including
to the child's parent.
(c) A school in which a child is enrolled under an assumed
name may not disclose the child's enrollment in the school to any
person, even if the person presents the school with alternative
identification information for the child, including the child's
social security number. This subsection does not apply to the
disclosure of enrollment information to a Department of Family and
Protective Services employee who is assigned to the child's case.
(d) The Department of Family and Protective Services may
adopt rules to implement this section and may collaborate with the
Texas Education Agency to adopt rules to implement Subsection (c).
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.