Bill Text: TX HB824 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to an outreach campaign to promote fathers' involvement with their children before birth.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [HB824 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB824-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 824 |
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relating to an outreach campaign to promote fathers' involvement | ||
with their children before birth. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Health and Safety | ||
Code, is amended by adding Section 32.0211 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 32.0211. WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM OUTREACH | ||
CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE FATHERS' INVOLVEMENT. (a) The attorney general | ||
shall: | ||
(1) subject to Subsections (b) and (c), develop and | ||
periodically update a publication that: | ||
(A) describes the importance and long-term | ||
positive effects on children of a father's involvement during a | ||
mother's pregnancy; and | ||
(B) provides guidance to prospective fathers on | ||
the positive actions that they can take to support the pregnant | ||
mother during pregnancy and the effect those actions have on | ||
pregnancy outcomes; and | ||
(2) make the publication described by Subdivision (1) | ||
available to any agency, organization, or other entity that | ||
contracts with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for | ||
Women, Infants and Children and on the attorney general's Internet | ||
website in a format that allows the public to download and print the | ||
publication. | ||
(b) The publication developed by the attorney general under | ||
Subsection (a) must include: | ||
(1) information regarding the steps that unmarried | ||
parents must take if the parents want to establish legal paternity | ||
and the benefits of paternity establishment for children; | ||
(2) a worksheet to help fathers identify personal risk | ||
behaviors, including smoking, substance abuse, and unemployment; | ||
(3) information regarding how a father's personal risk | ||
behaviors may affect the father's child and a guide to resources | ||
that are available to the father to assist in making necessary | ||
lifestyle changes; | ||
(4) information for fathers about the mother's | ||
prenatal health, including the emotional and physical changes a | ||
mother will experience throughout pregnancy, the mother's | ||
nutritional needs, and an explanation of how the father may help the | ||
mother meet those needs; | ||
(5) an explanation of prenatal health care visits, | ||
including an explanation of what they are and what to expect, and | ||
the practical ways a father may support the mother throughout | ||
pregnancy; | ||
(6) information regarding a child's prenatal health, | ||
including the child's developmental stages, the importance of | ||
attending prenatal health care visits, the practical ways a father | ||
may contribute to healthy baby outcomes, and actions the father may | ||
take to prepare for the birth of a child; | ||
(7) an explanation regarding prenatal tests, | ||
including an explanation of what the tests are and what tests to | ||
expect; | ||
(8) basic infant care information, including: | ||
(A) information regarding the basics of | ||
dressing, diapering, bathing, consoling, and stimulating an | ||
infant; | ||
(B) health and safety issues, including issues | ||
relating to nutritional information, sleep needs and expectations, | ||
baby-proofing a home, and what to expect at the first well-child | ||
visits; and | ||
(C) information on bonding and attachment and how | ||
each relates to an infant's development; | ||
(9) healthy relationship and coparenting information, | ||
including communication strategies, conflict resolution | ||
strategies, and problem-solving techniques for coparenting; | ||
(10) worksheets, activities, and exercises to aid | ||
fathers and the couple in exploring the following topics: | ||
(A) personal ideas about fatherhood and the role | ||
of the father in the family system; | ||
(B) the immediate and long-term benefits of | ||
father involvement specific to their family; and | ||
(C) perceived barriers to father involvement and | ||
strategies for overcoming those barriers; and | ||
(11) activities and projects for fathers that increase | ||
the fathers' understanding of the stages of child developmental and | ||
health and safety issues. | ||
(c) In developing the publication required by Subsection | ||
(a), the attorney general shall consult with: | ||
(1) the department as the state agency responsible for | ||
administering the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for | ||
Women, Infants and Children and this state's program under the | ||
Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. | ||
Section 701 et seq.); and | ||
(2) the Texas Council on Family Violence. | ||
(d) An agency, organization, or other entity that contracts | ||
with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants | ||
and Children shall make the publication described by Subsection (a) | ||
available to each client receiving clinical or nutritional services | ||
under the program. | ||
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 32.0211(d), Health and | ||
Safety Code, as added by this Act, the Department of State Health | ||
Services and an agency, organization, or other entity providing | ||
services under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for | ||
Women, Infants and Children are not required to comply with that | ||
section until the attorney general makes the publication available | ||
as described by Section 32.0211(a)(2), Health and Safety Code, as | ||
added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act | ||
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a | ||
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, | ||
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or | ||
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the | ||
waiver or authorization is granted. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 824 was passed by the House on March | ||
30, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 9, 1 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 824 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
19, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
Date | ||
_____________________ | ||
Governor |