Bill Text: TX HB4041 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to establishing family drug courts in counties.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-03 - Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence [HB4041 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB4041-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Coleman H.B. No. 4041
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to establishing family drug courts in counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  FINDINGS. The House Committee on County Affairs
  held several hearings across Texas in 2016 where the Committee
  heard testimony from many CPS stakeholders around Texas. The
  Committee found that substance abuse is a major factor in the
  removal of many children from their homes by CPS. The Committee
  found that substance abuse by a parent was a factor in nearly two
  thirds of removals. To properly address the CPS crisis in Texas the
  Legislature needs to address the root causes of child removals,
  such as substance abuse. The Committee also found that family drug
  courts such as the Parenting in Recovery/Family Drug Treatment
  program in Travis County has contributed successfully in reducing
  the number of children needing to be removed from their homes by
  CPS. Family drug courts are able to do this by working with the
  parents to help treat their substance abuse and improve their
  parenting skills, all while the children remain in the home.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 122, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Section 122.005 and 122.0051 to read as follows:
         Sec. 122.005.  FAMILY DRUG COURT STUDY. (a) Not later than
  September 1, 2018, the commissioners court of each county that has
  not established a family drug court program shall study the effect
  the creation of a family drug court would have in the county. The
  sheriff and, as applicable, the county attorney, district attorney,
  or criminal district attorney shall assist in conducting the study.
  Input from the following persons located in the county as
  applicable shall be requested: judges, CPS caseworkers and
  supervisors, attorney ad litems, guardian ad litems, treatment
  providers, child/family therapists, treatment providers, peer
  recovery coach providers, domestic violence advocates, housing
  partners, drug court coordinators, drug court services managers,
  drug court case managers. The study must analyze the effectiveness
  of:
               (1)  creating a court that specializes in cases in
  which a parent or person standing in parental relation suffers from
  drug addiction; and
               (2)  case management used by a family drug court
  program, including the involvement of Department of Family and
  Protective Services caseworkers, court-appointed case managers,
  and court-appointed special advocates, to rehabilitate a parent or
  person standing in parental relation who has had a child removed
  from the parent's or person's care by the department, or under
  investigation to determine if a child should be removed from the
  parent's or person's care by the department.
         (b)  This section expires January 1, 2019.
         Sec. 122.0051.  GRANT FUNDING FOR FAMILY DRUG COURTS. (a)  
  The county family drug court fund is a dedicated account in the
  general revenue fund.
         (b)  The county family drug court fund consists of:
               (1)  appropriations of money to the fund by the
  legislature; and
               (2)  gifts, grants, including grants from the federal
  government, and other donations received for the fund.
         (c)  The Health and Human Service Commission may provide
  counties who submit their study conducted under subsection 122.005
  for consideration with funds to set up and administer a family drug
  court in their
         SECTION 3.  The Health and Human Services Commission shall
  adopt rules regarding the criteria for awarding grants described
  under subsection 122.0051 by January 1, 2018.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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