| 1 | 1 | | 89R524 BDP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Harris H.B. No. 1403 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the collection and confidentiality of information |
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| 10 | 10 | | regarding weapons in agency foster homes; creating a civil penalty. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 42.042, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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| 13 | 13 | | by adding Subsections (e-6), (e-7), (e-8), and (e-9) to read as |
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| 14 | 14 | | follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (e-6) The commission, the department, and a child-placing |
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| 16 | 16 | | agency that contracts with the department may not require an agency |
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| 17 | 17 | | foster home to: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) disclose the specific types of weapons, including |
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| 19 | 19 | | firearms, that are present in the home; or |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) notify the child-placing agency if there is any |
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| 21 | 21 | | change in the types of weapons, including firearms, that are |
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| 22 | 22 | | present in the home. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (e-7) If the commission, the department, or a child-placing |
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| 24 | 24 | | agency that contracts with the department has or obtains |
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| 25 | 25 | | information relating to the types of weapons, including firearms, |
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| 26 | 26 | | that are present in an agency foster home, the commission, |
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| 27 | 27 | | department, or child-placing agency may not use that information |
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| 28 | 28 | | for any purpose other than determining whether there are weapons |
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| 29 | 29 | | present in the home. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (e-8) A child-placing agency that violates Subsection (e-7) |
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| 31 | 31 | | is liable to the state for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed |
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| 32 | 32 | | $5,000 for each violation. The attorney general may bring an action |
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| 33 | 33 | | to recover a civil penalty authorized under this subsection. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (e-9) Information relating to the types of weapons, |
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| 35 | 35 | | including firearms, that are present in an agency foster home is |
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| 36 | 36 | | confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, |
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| 37 | 37 | | Government Code. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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