Bill Text: TX SB1535 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to a complaint made by a foster child or youth.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-14 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1535 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB1535-Introduced.html
  86R5189 SCL-D
 
  By: Menéndez S.B. No. 1535
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a complaint made by a foster child or youth.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 263.008(b), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  It is the policy of this state that each child in foster
  care be informed of the child's rights provided by state or federal
  law or policy that relate to:
               (1)  abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and
  harassment;
               (2)  food, clothing, shelter, and education;
               (3)  medical, dental, vision, and mental health
  services, including the right of the child to consent to treatment;
               (4)  emergency behavioral intervention, including what
  methods are permitted, the conditions under which it may be used,
  and the precautions that must be taken when administering it;
               (5)  placement with the child's siblings and contact
  with members of the child's family;
               (6)  privacy and searches, including the use of storage
  space, mail, and the telephone;
               (7)  participation in school-related extracurricular
  or community activities;
               (8)  interaction with persons outside the foster care
  system, including teachers, church members, mentors, and friends;
               (9)  contact and communication with caseworkers,
  attorneys ad litem, guardians ad litem, and court-appointed special
  advocates;
               (10)  religious services and activities;
               (11)  confidentiality of the child's records;
               (12)  job skills, personal finances, and preparation
  for adulthood;
               (13)  participation in a court hearing that involves
  the child;
               (14)  participation in the development of service and
  treatment plans;
               (15)  if the child has a disability, the advocacy and
  protection of the rights of a person with that disability; [and]
               (16)  notification of the outcome of any investigation
  in which the child is involved; and
               (17)  any other matter affecting the child's ability to
  receive care and treatment in the least restrictive environment
  that is most like a family setting, consistent with the best
  interests and needs of the child.
         SECTION 2.  Section 531.993, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
         (c-1)  The department and the commission's child care
  licensing division shall provide written notice to the ombudsman on
  whether the department or child care licensing division adopted or
  rejected the ombudsman's recommended corrective action. If the
  department or child care licensing division rejects a recommended
  corrective action, the department or division shall include in the
  notice the reason for the rejection.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter Y, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.9933 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.9933.  COMPLAINT PROCESS FOR FOSTER CHILDREN AND
  YOUTH SERVED BY SINGLE SOURCE CONTINUUM CONTRACTOR. (a) In this
  section:
               (1)  "Contractor" means a single source continuum
  contractor in this state providing services identified under
  Subchapter B-1, Chapter 264, Family Code.
               (2)  "Division" means the division of the ombudsman for
  children and youth in foster care created under Section 531.9931.
         (b)  A child or youth in the conservatorship of the
  department and served by a contractor may file a complaint directly
  with the division and is not required to file an initial complaint
  with the contractor.
         (c)  The division may access the internal records of a
  contractor that are relevant to a complaint filed under this
  section and not included in the department's automated case
  tracking and information management system.
         (d)  The division shall provide written notice of the results
  of the investigation of a complaint filed under this section to:
               (1)  the child or youth who filed the complaint;
               (2)  the child's or youth's contractor; and
               (3)  the department.
         (e)  Each contractor in this state shall provide to the
  division:
               (1)  the contractor's contact information for the
  division to receive records and provide notice under this section;
  and
               (2)  updates to the contact information as necessary.
         (f)  A contractor may not directly or indirectly use or cause
  to be used the term "ombudsman" to describe the contractor or the
  contractor's internal complaint process.
         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, 2019.
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