Bill Text: TX SB1628 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to the authority of the Health and Human Services Commission's office of the ombudsman to resolve complaints against the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-25 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1628 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB1628-Introduced.html

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87R12529 MCK-D
By: Miles S.B. No. 1628

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of the division of the ombudsman for
children and youth in foster care.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 531.9931, Government Code, as added by
Chapter 906 (S.B. 213), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2017, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
Sec. 531.9931. DIVISION OF OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
IN FOSTER CARE. (a) The division of the ombudsman for children and
youth in foster care is created within the office of the ombudsman
for the purpose of:
(1) receiving complaints from children and youth in
the conservatorship of the department as provided under Section
531.993(a)(1);
(2) receiving complaints from a person providing
foster care services for children and youth, including
child-placing agencies, agency foster homes, specialized
child-care homes, general residential operations, cottage home
operations, and continuum-of-care residential operations;
(3) [(2)] informing children and youth in the
conservatorship of the department who file a complaint under this
subchapter about the result of the ombudsman's investigation of the
complaint, including whether the ombudsman was able to substantiate
the child's or youth's complaint; and
(4) [(3)] collaborating with the department to
develop an outreach plan for children and youth in the
conservatorship of the department to promote awareness of the
ombudsman.
(b) If a child or youth in the conservatorship of the
department contacts the ombudsman by telephone call to report a
complaint under this subchapter, the call shall be transferred
directly to a person employed by the division of the ombudsman
created under this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.