Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1237 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		87R21988 MCK-D
2		-	By: White, Thierry, J. Johnson of Harris, H.B. No. 1237
3		-	et al.
	2	+	By: White, Thierry, et al. H.B. No. 1237
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1237:
	4	+	By: Frank C.S.H.B. No. 1237
4	5
5	6
6	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	8		AN ACT
8	9		relating to adverse disproportionalities within the child
9	10		protective services system.
10	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	12		SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code,
12	13		is amended by adding Section 40.028 to read as follows:
13	14		Sec. 40.028. ANALYZING AND ADDRESSING ADVERSE
14	15		DISPROPORTIONALITY. (a) The commissioner shall analyze the
15	16		adverse disproportionate involvement of children who are members of
16	17		a demographic group in the child protective services system,
17	18		including at each stage of child protective services
18	19		investigations.
19	20		(b) On identifying an adverse disproportionality described
20	21		by Subsection (a), the commissioner shall:
21	22		(1) establish a team to address the
22	23		disproportionality; and
23	24		(2) notify the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker
24	25		of the house of representatives, and chairs of the standing
25	26		committees of the senate and house of representatives having
26	27		primary jurisdiction over the department of the
27	28		disproportionality.
28	29		(c) In appointing members to a team to address the adverse
29	30		disproportionality, the commissioner shall appoint representatives
30	31		with expertise in different subjects relevant to the
31	32		disproportionality.
32	33		(d) The commissioner shall direct the team to:
33	34		(1) research an evidence-based approach to address the
34	35		adverse disproportionality;
35	36		(2) identify resources for addressing and eliminating
36	37		or reducing the disproportionality; and
37	38		(3) assist the commissioner in obtaining those
38	39		resources from and if necessary requesting those resources from the
39	40		legislature.
40	41		(e) The commissioner shall set a time to complete the
41	42		elimination or reduction of the adverse disproportionality and
42	43		measures for determining whether the disproportionality has been
43	44		eliminated or reduced.
44	45		(f) As soon as practicable, the commissioner shall report to
45	46		the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
46	47		representatives, and chairs of the standing committees of the
47	48		senate and house of representatives having primary jurisdiction
48	49		over the department on:
49	50		(1) the evidence-based approach the department will
50	51		use to eliminate or reduce the adverse disproportionality;
51	52		(2) the resources needed to eliminate or reduce the
52	53		disproportionality;
53	54		(3) the time set to complete the elimination or
54	55		reduction of the disproportionality; and
55	56		(4) the strategic plan and measures to eliminate or
56	57		reduce the adverse disproportionality.
57	58		(g) At the conclusion of the time set by the commissioner to
58	59		complete the elimination or reduction of the adverse
59	60		disproportionality, the commissioner shall report to the governor,
60	61		lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
61	62		chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of
62	63		representatives having primary jurisdiction over the department:
63	64		(1) the results of the department's evidence-based
64	65		approach to eliminating or reducing the disproportionality; and
65	66		(2) if the department's approach:
66	67		(A) successfully eliminated or reduced the
67	68		disproportionality, the department's plan for ensuring the
68	69		disproportionality is not reinstated or expanded; or
69	70		(B) failed to eliminate or reduce the
70	71		disproportionality:
71	72		(i) the reasons the approach failed; and
72	73		(ii) the new strategic plan and measures
73	74		the department will implement to eliminate or reduce the
74	75		disproportionality.
75	76		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.