Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4965 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R9552 MM/PRL/LRM/MLH-D
2	2	By: Schatzline H.B. No. 4965
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to measures to promote and support responsible fatherhood
8	8	in this state.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 29.9011 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 29.9011. JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS GRANT
13	13	PROGRAM. (a) The commissioner shall establish a pilot program
14	14	under which a public secondary school may receive a grant to create,
15	15	promote, or expand a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
16	16	program.
17	17	(b) A public secondary school is eligible to participate in
18	18	and receive a grant under eligibility criteria established by the
19	19	commissioner.
20	20	(c) The commissioner shall establish application criteria
21	21	for receiving a grant under this section.
22	22	(d) A public secondary school that receives a grant shall
23	23	use the funds to create, promote, or expand a Junior Reserve
24	24	Officers' Training Corps program at the school.
25	25	(e) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
26	26	administer the pilot program under this section.
27	27	(f) After five years, the commissioner shall submit a report
28	28	to the governor and the legislature that includes:
29	29	(1) an assessment on the effectiveness of the pilot
30	30	program at increasing high school graduation rates; and
31	31	(2) a recommendation regarding whether the pilot
32	32	program should be continued, expanded, or terminated.
33	33	(g) This section expires September 1, 2029.
34	34	SECTION 2. Section 231.1211, Family Code, is amended to
35	35	read as follows:
36	36	Sec. 231.1211. INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS ON STANDARD
37	37	POSSESSION ORDER AND CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGOR RESOURCES. (a) The
38	38	Title IV-D agency shall create informational materials that
39	39	describe:
40	40	(1) the possession schedule under the standard
41	41	possession order under Subchapter F, Chapter 153, including any
42	42	alternate schedules or elections available to conservators; and
43	43	(2) resources available to assist child support
44	44	obligors experiencing difficulty with meeting their child support
45	45	obligations, including information:
46	46	(A) describing career or financial assistance
47	47	programs and services available to support unemployed or
48	48	underemployed child support obligors;
49	49	(B) explaining how to access those programs and
50	50	services; and
51	51	(C) detailing the process by which a child
52	52	support obligor may seek to modify the obligor's child support
53	53	obligation.
54	54	(b) The Title IV-D agency shall:
55	55	(1) make the informational materials described by
56	56	Subsection (a) available on the agency's Internet website and
57	57	distribute printed copies of those materials on request; and
58	58	(2) include information on how to access the
59	59	informational materials described by Subsection (a)(2) in any
60	60	notice given by the Title IV-D agency to a child support obligor who
61	61	is delinquent in the payment of child support.
62	62	SECTION 3. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
63	63	amended by adding Section 264.1621 to read as follows:
64	64	Sec. 264.1621. FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT REPORTS. (a) Not
65	65	later than March 1, 2024, each single source continuum contractor
66	66	or other entity that contracts with the department to provide
67	67	community-based care services shall:
68	68	(1) evaluate the entity's level of engagement with
69	69	fathers;
70	70	(2) identify any gaps in service related to engagement
71	71	with fathers;
72	72	(3) identify viable solutions to resolve any gaps
73	73	identified under Subdivision (2); and
74	74	(4) report to the department regarding the entity's
75	75	findings under this subsection.
76	76	(b) Not later than September 1, 2024, the entity described
77	77	by Subsection (a) shall implement solutions to address any gaps in
78	78	service for fathers identified under Subsection (a)(2).
79	79	(c) The department shall:
80	80	(1) conduct a semiannual review of each entity
81	81	described by Subsection (a) to assess the entity's:
82	82	(A) implementation of a plan to address gaps in
83	83	service related to engagement with fathers; and
84	84	(B) ability to meet the needs of fathers in this
85	85	state;
86	86	(2) produce a report based on the department's review;
87	87	and
88	88	(3) make the report available to the public not later
89	89	than the 30th day after the date the department completes the
90	90	report.
91	91	SECTION 4. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by
92	92	adding Subchapter H-1 to read as follows:
93	93	SUBCHAPTER H-1. PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT FATHERS
94	94	Sec. 531.291. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE. (a) In
95	95	this section, "initiative" means the Responsible Fatherhood
96	96	Initiative established under this section.
97	97	(b) The commission, after issuing a request for proposals
98	98	and conducting a transparent selection process, shall contract with
99	99	a nonprofit organization for the development and implementation of
100	100	the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative. The initiative must provide
101	101	an opportunity for every father in this state to obtain information
102	102	and inspiration that will motivate and enable him to enhance his
103	103	abilities as a father and recognize that some fathers have greater
104	104	challenges than others and would benefit from greater support.
105	105	(c) The initiative must include:
106	106	(1) an Internet website and other related electronic
107	107	resources that will allow a father to:
108	108	(A) obtain information about effective
109	109	parenting;
110	110	(B) identify areas in which support would enhance
111	111	the father's ability to be an effective father; and
112	112	(C) connect to the support identified under
113	113	Paragraph (B), including support provided by an organization
114	114	receiving a grant under Section 531.292;
115	115	(2) appropriate materials from the fatherhood media
116	116	campaign available through the National Responsible Fatherhood
117	117	Clearinghouse; and
118	118	(3) print, television, digital, and social media
119	119	elements and public events, including appearances by and
120	120	involvement from public figures.
121	121	(d) To contract with the commission under this section, a
122	122	nonprofit organization must be nonpartisan and nonpolitical and
123	123	have:
124	124	(1) a history of focusing on responsible fatherhood,
125	125	including providing online resources to fathers and engaging
126	126	fathers, father figures, and children through community-based and
127	127	school-based events to encourage responsible fatherhood; and
128	128	(2) the organizational capacity to manage a statewide
129	129	initiative and successfully carry out the requirements of this
130	130	section.
131	131	(e) The nonprofit organization with which the commission
132	132	contracts under this section shall collaborate with relevant state
133	133	agencies and private organizations to develop and implement the
134	134	initiative. The commission and other relevant state agencies shall
135	135	provide support to the organization as necessary to carry out the
136	136	initiative.
137	137	Sec. 531.292. GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SUPPORT TO
138	138	FATHERS. (a) To the extent money is appropriated to the commission
139	139	for that purpose, the commission shall establish a program under
140	140	which the commission awards grants to community-based nonprofit
141	141	organizations to support fathers in this state by providing
142	142	comprehensive support to fathers, including assistance with:
143	143	(1) finding employment;
144	144	(2) managing child support obligations;
145	145	(3) transitioning from a period of incarceration; and
146	146	(4) accessing health care.
147	147	(b) A community-based nonprofit organization that receives
148	148	a grant under this section must provide:
149	149	(1) assistance that is tailored to the needs of the
150	150	father being served; and
151	151	(2) case management services, either directly or by
152	152	subcontract, to the father being served.
153	153	(c) A grant awarded under this section may be awarded to a
154	154	community-based nonprofit organization for not more than three
155	155	years.
156	156	(d) Not later than the third anniversary of the date the
157	157	commission implements the grant program established under this
158	158	section, the commission shall submit a report to the governor and
159	159	the legislature regarding the results and performance of the grant
160	160	program and any recommendations for legislative or other action,
161	161	including whether to continue the program.
162	162	SECTION 5. Section 531.982, Government Code, is amended by
163	163	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
164	164	(d) The commission shall implement fatherhood engagement
165	165	activities as part of a home visiting program implemented under
166	166	this section. The activities may include increased and
167	167	individualized support for fathers that is designed to strengthen
168	168	the family and increase child well-being.
169	169	SECTION 6. Subchapter D, Chapter 662, Government Code, is
170	170	amended by adding Section 662.116 to read as follows:
171	171	Sec. 662.116. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD MONTH. (a) June is
172	172	Responsible Fatherhood Month to honor a father's contribution to
173	173	their child's well-being, safety, and stability.
174	174	(b) During Responsible Fatherhood Month, the Health and
175	175	Human Services Commission shall at least weekly promote the
176	176	importance of fatherhood for the health and welfare of a child
177	177	through community engagement events, the news media, the
178	178	commission's Internet website and social media platforms, and any
179	179	other method the commission uses to communicate with the public.
180	180	(c) Responsible Fatherhood Month shall be regularly
181	181	observed through appropriate activities in public locations to
182	182	increase awareness of the importance and benefits of fatherhood.
183	183	SECTION 7. As soon as practicable after the effective date
184	184	of this Act, the commissioner of education shall establish the
185	185	grant program required under Section 29.9011, Education Code, as
186	186	added by this Act.
187	187	SECTION 8. Not later than September 1, 2024:
188	188	(1) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
189	189	Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
190	190	Section 531.292, Government Code, as added by this Act; and
191	191	(2) the commission shall establish and implement:
192	192	(A) the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative
193	193	required under Section 531.291, Government Code, as added by this
194	194	Act; and
195	195	(B) the grant program required under Section
196	196	531.292, Government Code, as added by this Act.
197	197	SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.