By: Schoolcraft H.B. No. 1320
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to membership on county Child Welfare Boards in certain
counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. - TEXAS FAMILY CODE
Texas Family Code Sec. 264.005 is amended to read as follows:
264.005 COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARDS.
(a) The commissioners court of a county may appoint a child
welfare board for the county. The commissioners court and the
department shall determine the size of the board and the
qualifications of its members. However, a board must have not less
than seven and not more than 15 members,.and tThe members must be
residents of the county, except in counties with a population less
than 500,000 no more than one-third of the members may be residents
of contiguous counties. The members shall serve at the pleasure of
the commissioners court and may be removed by the court for just
cause. The members serve without compensation.
(b) With the approval of the department, two or more counties may
establish a joint child welfare board if that action is found to be
more practical in accomplishing the purposes of this chapter. A
board representing more than one county has the same powers as a
board representing a single county and is subject to the same
conditions and liabilities.
(c) The members of a county child welfare board shall select a
presiding officer and shall perform the duties required by the
commissioners court and the department to accomplish the purposes
of this chapter.
(d) A county child welfare board is an entity of the department for
purposes of providing coordinated state and local public welfare
services for children and their families and for the coordinated
use of federal, state, and local funds for these services. The
child welfare board shall work with the commissioners court.
(e) A county child welfare board is a governmental unit for the
purposes of Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
(f) A county child protective services board member may receive
information that is confidential under Section 40.005, Human
Resources Code, or Section 261.201 when the board member is acting
in the member's official capacity.
(g) A child welfare board may conduct a closed meeting under
Section 551.101, Government Code, to discuss, consider, or act on a
matter that is confidential under Section 40.005, Human Resources
Code, or Section 261.201.
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, 2025.