9 of 11 TexProtects bills and 2 funding initiatives approved by Texas Legislature and Governor More Texas Children Will be Served by Home Visiting in Texas The Home Visiting Expansion and Accountability Act, Senate Bill 426 by Senator Nelson and Representative Zerwas, will become law on September 1, 2013. This key piece of legislation establishes the Texas Home Visiting Program and was the #1 TexProtects legislative priority this session. The passage of Senate Bill 426 was unanimous in the Senate (31-0) and overwhelmingly passed in the House (139-4) and is a true win for the families and children of Texas. We are grateful for the bipartisan support and for the collaboration of dozens of organizations who worked to pass this bill. We are especially grateful for the efforts of the Texas Home Visitation Consortium. The bill sets clear standards so that home visiting programs are accountable for their outcomes and implemented with fidelity to their model. It also creates a framework in which at least 75% of state revenues invested in home visiting must be directed towards programs that are evidence-based, while allowing up to 25% of the funds to be invested in programs considered, "promising practices." To learn more about Senate Bill 426, click here. Financing Home Visiting In addition to the passage of Senate Bill 426, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1, which includes $7.9 million in new funds for the Texas Home Visiting Program! Furthermore, Senate Bill 1836 by Senator Deuell, passed allowing Texas citizens to make voluntary $5 donations when they purchase copies of marriage licenses, divorce decrees or birth certificates. Counties also can opt to include the $5 donation check-off in their initial marriage license application forms. It has been estimated that this avenue will generate approximately $2 million more funds for home visiting each biennium. To read more on Senate Bill 1836, click here. The funding that was secured this session is expected to expand home visiting services to approximately 2,950 additional families across the state of Texas! Child Protective Services Budget Increases by $170 million In addition to the new funds for home visiting, the Texas Legislature passed a budget that will provide a 7.2% increase of $169.9 million more funding (from $2.35 billion to $2.52 billion over the biennium) for Child Protective Services! An increased investment was also made in prevention, with the Department of Family and Protective Services Prevention and Early Intervention Division budget increasing by 43% from the prior legislative session, totaling more than $88.8 million, including an additional $19 million for evidence-based prevention investment for the highest risk families with children ages 0-5. Due to the advocacy efforts of many this session, the hue and cry for more prevention investment was heard. The PEI budget has almost been restored to the 2002-2003 funding level of $91.8 million. To learn more about the current and future of financing home visiting in Texas or the Child Protective Services system in Texas, please feel free to request an in-person or conference call presentation to your group by clicking here. Child Protection Act This Child Protection Act, Senate Bill 939 by Senator West was successfully passed and will fortify first responders with needed training on child abuse. This bill requires institutions of higher education, schools and charter schools to train not only existing staff, but also all new staff on preventing, recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse. This legislation ensures that each of these institutions implement written recognition and reporting policies that are consistent with the state mandatory reporting laws in order to avert "inside" reporting exclusively. This law becomes effective on 9/1/13. New Increased Penalties for Failure to Report Child Abuse This TexProtects initiated legislation, House Bill 1205 authored by Representatives Parker, Raymond, Zerwas, Fallon and Naishtat, allows for an increased penalty for statutorily defined "professional reporters" who fail to report child abuse with the intent to deceive or conceal the abuse. Penalties can range from the current Class A Misdemeanor up to a state jail felony. Formore information, click here. The law becomes effective on 9/1/13.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 22:18:50 +0000
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