| 1 | 1 | | 2025S0052-1 01/30/25 |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lujan H.B. No. 4322 |
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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 required training for caregivers to children, including |
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| 10 | 10 | | foster parents. |
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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 42.0537, Human Resources Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b-1) and (b-2) to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a) The department and each single source continuum |
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| 16 | 16 | | contractor shall include a provision in each contract with a |
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| 17 | 17 | | child-placing agency with whom children in the managing |
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| 18 | 18 | | conservatorship of the department are placed that requires the |
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| 19 | 19 | | child-placing agency to provide competency-based, preservice |
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| 20 | 20 | | training to a potential caregiver before the child-placing agency |
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| 21 | 21 | | verifies or approves the caregiver as a foster or adoptive home. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Except as provided by Subsection (d), the amount of training |
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| 23 | 23 | | required by this subsection may not exceed 20 [35] hours. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) The department shall adopt policies to ensure that each |
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| 25 | 25 | | potential caregiver receives competency-based, preservice training |
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| 26 | 26 | | before the department verifies or approves the caregiver as a |
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| 27 | 27 | | foster or adoptive home. Except as provided by Subsection (d), the |
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| 28 | 28 | | amount of training required by this subsection may not exceed 20 |
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| 29 | 29 | | [35] hours. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b-1) Prior to licensure renewal, each caregiver shall |
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| 31 | 31 | | successfully complete competency-based, annual training on |
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| 32 | 32 | | subjects affecting the daily living experiences of foster parenting |
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| 33 | 33 | | and the needs of children in care. The amount of annual training |
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| 34 | 34 | | required of each caregiver may not exceed 10 hours. The department, |
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| 35 | 35 | | single source continuum contractor, or child-placing agency |
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| 36 | 36 | | licensing the caregiver shall ensure that required annual training |
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| 37 | 37 | | subjects are relevant to the caregiver's license or the unique |
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| 38 | 38 | | needs of the children placed with the caregiver. The commissioner |
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| 39 | 39 | | and executive commissioner shall collaborate to adopt rules |
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| 40 | 40 | | necessary to implement this subsection. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (b-2) A foster parent may waive the daily reimbursement rate |
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| 42 | 42 | | for foster care services. If the foster parent elects to waive the |
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| 43 | 43 | | daily reimbursement rate, the foster parent shall be exempt from |
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| 44 | 44 | | the annual training requirements under Subsection (b-1) except for |
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| 45 | 45 | | any training the department, child-placing agency, or single source |
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| 46 | 46 | | continuum contractor determines is necessary to meet the unique |
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| 47 | 47 | | needs of the child placed with the foster parent. Such training may |
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| 48 | 48 | | not exceed five hours per year. The commissioner and executive |
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| 49 | 49 | | commissioner shall collaborate to adopt rules necessary to |
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| 50 | 50 | | implement this subsection. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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