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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to access to certain health records and information |
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regarding a child placed for adoption. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 162.005, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) The department shall ensure that each licensed |
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child-placing agency, single source continuum contractor, or other |
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person placing a child for adoption receives a copy of any portion |
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of the report prepared by the department. |
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SECTION 2. Section 162.0062, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) If a child is placed with a foster parent or a |
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prospective adoptive parent prior to adoption, the foster parent or |
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prospective adoptive parent is entitled to examine any record or |
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other information relating to the child's health history, including |
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the portion of the report prepared under Section 162.005 for the |
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child that relates to the child's health. The department, licensed |
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child-placing agency, single source continuum contractor, or other |
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person placing a child for adoption shall inform the foster parent |
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or prospective adoptive parent of the foster parent or prospective |
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adoptive parent's right to examine the records and other |
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information relating to the child's health history. The |
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department, licensed child-placing agency, single source continuum |
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contractor, or other person placing the child for adoption shall |
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edit the records and information to protect the identity of the |
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biological parents and any other person whose identity is |
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confidential. |
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SECTION 3. Section 162.007, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The health history of the child must include information |
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about: |
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(1) the child's health status at the time of placement; |
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(2) the child's birth, neonatal, and other medical, |
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psychological, psychiatric, and dental history information, |
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including to the extent known by the department: |
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(A) whether the child's birth mother consumed |
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alcohol during pregnancy; and |
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(B) whether the child has been diagnosed with |
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fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; |
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(3) a record of immunizations for the child; and |
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(4) the available results of medical, psychological, |
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psychiatric, and dental examinations of the child. |
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(g) In this section, "fetal alcohol spectrum disorder" |
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means any of a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose |
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mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |