Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1473 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R5163 RAL-D
2	2	By: Meza H.B. No. 1473
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to monetary assistance provided by the Department of
10	10	Family and Protective Services to certain relative or designated
11	11	caregivers.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Section 264.752(c), Family Code, is amended to
14	14	read as follows:
15	15	(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary
16	16	to implement this subchapter. [The rules must include eligibility
17	17	criteria for receiving assistance and services under this
18	18	subchapter.]
19	19	SECTION 2. Section 264.755, Family Code, as amended by
20	20	Chapter 315 (H.B. 4), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular
21	21	Session, 2017, is amended by reenacting and amending Subsections
22	22	(a), (b), (b-1), (c), and (f) to read as follows:
23	23	(a) The department shall, subject to the availability of
24	24	funds, enter into a caregiver assistance agreement with each
25	25	relative or other designated caregiver to provide monetary
26	26	assistance and additional support services to the caregiver. [The
27	27	monetary assistance and support services shall be based on a
28	28	family's need, as determined by Subsection (b) and rules adopted by
29	29	the executive commissioner.]
30	30	(b) The department shall provide monetary assistance under
31	31	this section to each relative or other designated [a] caregiver
32	32	[who has a family income that is less than or equal to 300 percent of
33	33	the federal poverty level]. Monetary assistance provided to a
34	34	caregiver under this section may not exceed 50 percent of the
35	35	department's daily basic foster care rate for the child. [A
36	36	caregiver who has a family income greater than 300 percent of the
37	37	federal poverty level is not eligible for monetary assistance under
38	38	this section.]
39	39	(b-1) The department shall disburse monetary assistance
40	40	provided to a caregiver under Subsection (b) in the same manner as
41	41	the department disburses payments to a foster parent. The
42	42	department may not provide monetary assistance to an eligible
43	43	caregiver under Subsection (b) after the first anniversary of the
44	44	date the caregiver receives the first monetary assistance payment
45	45	from the department under this section. The department, at its
46	46	discretion and for good cause, may extend the monetary assistance
47	47	payments for an additional six months.
48	48	(c) Monetary assistance and additional support services
49	49	provided under this section may include:
50	50	(1) case management services and training and
51	51	information about the child's needs until the caregiver is
52	52	appointed permanent managing conservator;
53	53	(2) referrals to appropriate state agencies
54	54	administering public benefits or assistance programs for which the
55	55	child, the caregiver, or the caregiver's family may qualify;
56	56	(3) family counseling not provided under the Medicaid
57	57	program for the caregiver's family for a period not to exceed two
58	58	years from the date of initial placement;
59	59	(4) [if the caregiver meets the eligibility criteria
60	60	determined by rules adopted by the executive commissioner,]
61	61	reimbursement of all child-care expenses incurred while the child
62	62	is under 13 years of age, or under 18 years of age if the child has a
63	63	developmental disability, and while the department is the child's
64	64	managing conservator; and
65	65	(5) [if the caregiver meets the eligibility criteria
66	66	determined by rules adopted by the executive commissioner,]
67	67	reimbursement of 50 percent of child-care expenses incurred after
68	68	the caregiver is appointed permanent managing conservator of the
69	69	child while the child is under 13 years of age, or under 18 years of
70	70	age if the child has a developmental disability.
71	71	(f) If a person [who has a family income that is less than or
72	72	equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty level] enters into a
73	73	caregiver assistance agreement with the department, obtains
74	74	permanent managing conservatorship of a child, and meets all other
75	75	eligibility requirements, the person may receive an annual
76	76	reimbursement of other expenses for the child, as determined by
77	77	rules adopted by the executive commissioner, not to exceed $500 per
78	78	year until the earlier of:
79	79	(1) the third anniversary of the date the person was
80	80	awarded permanent managing conservatorship of the child; or
81	81	(2) the child's 18th birthday.
82	82	SECTION 3. Section 264.755(b-2), Family Code, is repealed.
83	83	SECTION 4. Section 264.755, Family Code, as amended by this
84	84	Act, applies to a caregiver assistance agreement entered into
85	85	before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
86	86	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.