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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing the foster parent of a foster child to take |
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certain actions to protect the child from violence and kidnapping. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 262, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 262.015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 262.015. USE OF ASSUMED NAME FOR CHILD. (a) At a |
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hearing held under this chapter or Chapter 263, if the court makes a |
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finding that there is reasonable cause to believe that a child is at |
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risk for violence or kidnapping perpetrated by the child's parent |
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or a person associated with the child's parent, the court may render |
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an order authorizing the foster parent of the child to: |
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(1) enroll the child in school and age-appropriate |
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normalcy activities, as that term is defined by Section 264.001, |
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under an assumed name; or |
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(2) move the child to a location outside of the county |
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in which the foster parent resides. |
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(b) If the court authorizes a foster parent of a child to |
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enroll the child in school or age-appropriate normalcy activities |
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under an assumed name, the foster parent shall choose an assumed |
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name for the child and shall notify the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services and the court of the assumed name. The court |
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and the department may not disclose the assumed name chosen for the |
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child to any other party to the suit involving the child, including |
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to the child's parent. |
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(c) A school in which a child is enrolled under an assumed |
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name may not disclose the child's enrollment in the school to any |
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person, even if the person presents the school with alternative |
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identification information for the child, including the child's |
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social security number. This subsection does not apply to the |
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disclosure of enrollment information to a Department of Family and |
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Protective Services employee who is assigned to the child's case. |
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(d) The Department of Family and Protective Services may |
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adopt rules to implement this section and may collaborate with the |
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Texas Education Agency to adopt rules to implement Subsection (c). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |