Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3765 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.B. No. 3765
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the establishment of a supply of luggage by the
6	6	Department of Family and Protective Services for the transport of
7	7	the personal belongings of a foster child.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 263.008(b), Family Code, is amended to
10	10	read as follows:
11	11	(b) It is the policy of this state that each child in foster
12	12	care be informed of the child's rights provided by state or federal
13	13	law or policy that relate to:
14	14	(1) abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and
15	15	harassment;
16	16	(2) food, clothing, shelter, and education;
17	17	(3) luggage to transport the child's personal
18	18	belongings;
19	19	(4) medical, dental, vision, and mental health
20	20	services, including the right of the child to consent to treatment;
21	21	(5) [(4)] emergency behavioral intervention,
22	22	including what methods are permitted, the conditions under which it
23	23	may be used, and the precautions that must be taken when
24	24	administering it;
25	25	(6) [(5)] placement with the child's siblings and
26	26	contact with members of the child's family;
27	27	(7) [(6)] privacy and searches, including the use of
28	28	storage space, mail, and the telephone;
29	29	(8) [(7)] participation in school-related
30	30	extracurricular or community activities;
31	31	(9) [(8)] interaction with persons outside the foster
32	32	care system, including teachers, church members, mentors, and
33	33	friends;
34	34	(10) [(9)] contact and communication with
35	35	caseworkers, attorneys ad litem, guardians ad litem, and
36	36	court-appointed special advocates;
37	37	(11) [(10)] religious services and activities;
38	38	(12) [(11)] confidentiality of the child's records;
39	39	(13) [(12)] job skills, personal finances, and
40	40	preparation for adulthood;
41	41	(14) [(13)] participation in a court hearing that
42	42	involves the child;
43	43	(15) [(14)] participation in the development of
44	44	service and treatment plans;
45	45	(16) [(15)] if the child has a disability, the
46	46	advocacy and protection of the rights of a person with that
47	47	disability; and
48	48	(17) [(16)] any other matter affecting the child's
49	49	ability to receive care and treatment in the least restrictive
50	50	environment that is most like a family setting, consistent with the
51	51	best interests and needs of the child.
52	52	SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
53	53	amended by adding Section 264.1078 to read as follows:
54	54	Sec. 264.1078. LUGGAGE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN. (a) In this
55	55	section, "luggage" means a suitcase, duffel bag, backpack, or
56	56	similar container designed to hold an individual's personal
57	57	belongings.
58	58	(b) The department shall:
59	59	(1) establish and maintain a decentralized supply of
60	60	luggage to be used to transport a foster child's personal
61	61	belongings; and
62	62	(2) develop procedures for the storage and
63	63	distribution of luggage.
64	64	(c) The department shall provide luggage to a child who is
65	65	being removed from the child's home or changing placement. Luggage
66	66	provided to a child under this subsection belongs to the child and
67	67	may not be reclaimed by the department or retained by the child's
68	68	foster parent. The department is not required to provide new
69	69	luggage under this subsection to a child who is changing placement
70	70	and has the luggage previously provided by the department.
71	71	(d) The department shall maintain a record of each time a
72	72	trash bag is used to move a foster child's personal belongings. The
73	73	record must include the reason the department did not provide the
74	74	child with appropriate luggage to move the child's personal
75	75	belongings.
76	76	(e) The department shall submit an annual report to the
77	77	legislature that includes a summary of:
78	78	(1) the number of times a trash bag was used to
79	79	transport a foster child's personal belongings and the reasons the
80	80	department failed to provide the child with appropriate luggage;
81	81	and
82	82	(2) the department's supply inventory and inventory
83	83	management practices for the luggage supply maintained under
84	84	Subsection (b).
85	85	(e-1) This subsection and Subsection (e) expire September
86	86	1, 2025.
87	87	(f) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
88	88	donations of any kind and from any source for purposes of this
89	89	section.
90	90	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
91	91	______________________________ ______________________________
92	92	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
93	93	I certify that H.B. No. 3765 was passed by the House on May 9,
94	94	2023, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 15, 2 present, not
95	95	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
96	96	No. 3765 on May 19, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 120, Nays 21,
97	97	2 present, not voting.
98	98	______________________________
99	99	Chief Clerk of the House
100	100	I certify that H.B. No. 3765 was passed by the Senate, with
101	101	amendments, on May 17, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays
102	102	4.
103	103	______________________________
104	104	Secretary of the Senate
105	105	APPROVED: __________________
106	106	Date
107	107	__________________
108	108	Governor