Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4129 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R9874 RAL-F
2	2	By: A. Davis of Dallas H.B. No. 4129
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the contract requirements for a contract between a
10	10	single source continuum contractor and the Department of Family and
11	11	Protective Services.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Section 264.155(a), Family Code, is amended to
14	14	read as follows:
15	15	(a) A contract with a single source continuum contractor to
16	16	provide community-based care services in a catchment area must
17	17	include provisions that:
18	18	(1) establish a timeline for the implementation of
19	19	community-based care in the catchment area, including a timeline
20	20	for implementing:
21	21	(A) case management services for children,
22	22	families, and relative and kinship caregivers receiving services in
23	23	the catchment area; and
24	24	(B) family reunification support services to be
25	25	provided after a child receiving services from the contractor is
26	26	returned to the child's family;
27	27	(2) establish conditions for the single source
28	28	continuum contractor's access to relevant department data and
29	29	require the participation of the contractor in the data access and
30	30	standards governance council created under Section 264.159;
31	31	(3) require the single source continuum contractor to
32	32	create a single process for the training and use of alternative
33	33	caregivers for all child-placing agencies in the catchment area to
34	34	facilitate reciprocity of licenses for alternative caregivers
35	35	between agencies, including respite and overnight care providers,
36	36	as those terms are defined by department rule;
37	37	(4) require the single source continuum contractor to
38	38	maintain a diverse network of service providers that offer a range
39	39	of foster capacity options and that can accommodate children from
40	40	diverse cultural backgrounds;
41	41	(5) allow the department to conduct a performance
42	42	review of the contractor beginning 18 months after the contractor
43	43	has begun providing case management and family reunification
44	44	support services to all children and families in the catchment area
45	45	and determine if the contractor has achieved any performance
46	46	outcomes specified in the contract;
47	47	(6) following the review under Subdivision (5), allow
48	48	the department to:
49	49	(A) impose financial penalties on the contractor
50	50	for failing to meet any specified performance outcomes; or
51	51	(B) award financial incentives to the contractor
52	52	for exceeding any specified performance outcomes;
53	53	(7) require the contractor to give preference for
54	54	employment to employees of the department:
55	55	(A) whose position at the department is impacted
56	56	by the implementation of community-based care; and
57	57	(B) who are considered by the department to be
58	58	employees in good standing;
59	59	(8) require the contractor to provide preliminary and
60	60	ongoing community engagement plans to ensure communication and
61	61	collaboration with local stakeholders in the catchment area,
62	62	including any of the following:
63	63	(A) community faith-based entities;
64	64	(B) the judiciary;
65	65	(C) court-appointed special advocates;
66	66	(D) child advocacy centers;
67	67	(E) service providers;
68	68	(F) foster families;
69	69	(G) biological parents;
70	70	(H) foster youth and former foster youth;
71	71	(I) relative or kinship caregivers;
72	72	(J) child welfare boards, if applicable;
73	73	(K) attorneys ad litem;
74	74	(L) attorneys that represent parents involved in
75	75	suits filed by the department; and
76	76	(M) any other stakeholders, as determined by the
77	77	contractor; [and]
78	78	(9) require that the contractor comply with any
79	79	applicable court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction
80	80	in the case of a child for whom the contractor has assumed case
81	81	management responsibilities or an order imposing a requirement on
82	82	the department that relates to functions assumed by the contractor;
83	83	and
84	84	(10) allow the department to implement formal measures
85	85	to ensure the contractor is delivering high-quality service,
86	86	including quality improvement plans, financial interventions, and
87	87	other appropriate interventions or restrictions.
88	88	SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
89	89	to a contract entered into or amended, modified, renewed, or
90	90	extended on after the effective date of this Act. A contract
91	91	entered into or amended, modified, renewed, or extended before the
92	92	effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
93	93	date the contract was entered into or amended, modified, renewed,
94	94	or extended, and the former law is continued in effect for that
95	95	purpose.
96	96	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.