Legislative Proposals Agenda for the 82nd Legislative Session
1. Child Abuse Prevention Training – Expansion of HB 1041 (81R): Current Texas law based on HB 1041 regarding school district sexual child abuse policy should be expanded to:
- Include training on the prevention of child sexual abuse as well as of all forms of child abuse;
- Specify that the training should be research based and emphasizes programs that provide curriculum where adults take responsibility for prevention;
- Include charter schools and child care facilities; and
- Include language that the training programs can be obtained at no costs; and
- Require that records of attendance be maintained.
2. Child Abuse Reporting: Institutions such as schools, charter schools, child care facilities and other state licensed organizations who have direct contact with children should:
- Adopt and implement written policies consistent with the state mandatory reporting law, ensuring that professionals suspecting abuse make the report directly to DFPS; and
- Provide training to professional reporters on recognizing and lawful reporting of suspected child abuse.
3. Expand Baby Moses: Change the “Baby Moses” age limits for placing a child in a safe haven from the current 60 days post birth to 12 months post birth and raise awareness of the law by adding information to the “Resource Pamphlet and Resource Guide” provided to parents of newborn children.
4. Eliminate Corporal Punishment in Schools: support for HB 916 by Rep. Alma Allen which will abolish corporal punishment in schools as 30 states have done.
Child Protection Services Improvements: Provide safe outcomes for children
1. Establish statutory guidelines for what a Parental Child Safety Placement Plan must contain (fka Voluntary Placements).
2. Allow judges ability to reject mediated settlement agreements when it is not in the child's best interest.
3. Extend current retention policies on Reason To Believe, Unable To Determine, Unable To Complete, Moved and Ruled Out investigations in order to ensure safe kinship placements.
4. Revamp the removal of the perpetrator provision contained in Chapter 262 of the Family Code in order to strengthen the provision and increase its usage thus keeping more children in their homes when a protective caregiver is present.
5. Enhance the penalty for a felony offense of domestic/family violence that was committed in the physical presence or hearing of a child under the age of 16 which takes into account that a child witnessing domestic violence is a form of child maltreatment.
6. Require CPS to give hiring preferences to applicants who are applying for entry level Investigation, Conservatorship and Family Based Safety Services caseworker positions with a masters’ degree or a bachelor’s degree in social work, when other skills are comparable.
Substitute Care Improvements: Provide outcomes that ensure child well-being
1. Study the feasibility, cost and privacy issues of using some type of profile matching in adoption cases similar to current profile matching technology.
2. Implement matched savings accounts for youth in care.
3. Expand statute on Trauma-Informed Care to mandate a minimum 15 hours training for all caregivers of abused children.
4. Assist youth in obtaining a free credit report before they age out of foster care.
5. Increase understanding of the issue and communication between state agencies regarding serving runaway and homeless youth.
6. Require counties with an existing Community Resource Coordination Group (CRCG) to have a plan on how they are going to build foster/RTC capacity.
