H.B. No. 4544         AN ACT   relating to providing children committed to the Texas Juvenile   Justice Department with certain documents on discharge or release;   authorizing a fee.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 245.0535(e), Human Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (e)  The department may contract and coordinate with private   vendors, units of local government, or other entities to implement   the comprehensive reentry and reintegration plan developed under   this section, including contracting to:                (1)  coordinate the supervision and services provided   to children during the time children are in the custody of the   department with any supervision or services provided children who   have been released under supervision or finally discharged from the   department;                (2)  provide children awaiting release under   supervision or final discharge with documents that are necessary   after release or discharge, including identification papers that   include, if available, personal identification certificates   obtained under Section 245.0536, medical prescriptions, job   training certificates, and referrals to services; and                (3)  provide housing and structured programs,   including programs for recovering substance abusers, through which   children are provided services immediately following release under   supervision or final discharge.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 245, Human Resources Code,   is amended by adding Sections 245.0536 and 245.0537 to read as   follows:          Sec. 245.0536.  PROVIDING RELEASED OR DISCHARGED CHILD WITH   STATE-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. (a) Before releasing a child under   supervision or finally discharging a child, the department shall:                (1)  determine whether the child has:                      (A)  a valid license issued under Chapter 521,   Transportation Code; or                      (B)  a valid personal identification certificate   issued under Chapter 521, Transportation Code; and                (2)  if the child does not have a valid license or   certificate described by Subdivision (1), submit to the Department   of Public Safety on behalf of the child a request for the issuance   of a personal identification certificate under Chapter 521,   Transportation Code.          (b)  The department shall submit a request under Subsection   (a)(2) as soon as is practicable to enable the department to receive   the personal identification certificate before the department   releases or discharges the child and to provide the child with the   personal identification certificate when the department releases   or discharges the child.          (c)  The department, the Department of Public Safety, and the   vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services   shall adopt a memorandum of understanding that establishes their   respective responsibilities with respect to the issuance of a   personal identification certificate to a child, including   responsibilities related to verification of the child's identity.   The memorandum of understanding must require the Department of   State Health Services to electronically verify the birth record of   a child whose name and any other personal information is provided by   the department and to electronically report the recorded filing   information to the Department of Public Safety to validate the   identity of a child under this section.          (d)  The department shall reimburse the Department of Public   Safety or the Department of State Health Services for the actual   costs incurred by those agencies in performing responsibilities   established under this section. The department may charge the   child's parent or guardian for the actual costs incurred under this   section or the fees required by Section 521.421, Transportation   Code.          (e)  This section does not apply to a child who:                (1)  is not legally present in the United States; or                (2)  was not a resident of this state before the child   was placed in the custody of the department.          Sec. 245.0537.  PROVIDING RELEASED OR DISCHARGED CHILD WITH   BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND SOCIAL SECURITY CARD. (a) In addition to   complying with the requirements of Section 245.0536, before   releasing a child under supervision or finally discharging a child,   the department must:                (1)  determine whether the child has a:                      (A)  certified copy of the child's birth   certificate; and                      (B)  copy of the child's social security card; and                (2)  if the child does not have a document described by   Subdivision (1), submit to the appropriate entity on behalf of the   child a request for the issuance of the applicable document.          (b)  The department shall submit a request under Subsection   (a)(2) as soon as is practicable to enable the department to receive   the applicable document before the department releases or   discharges the child and to provide the child with the applicable   document when the department releases or discharges the child.          (c)  This section does not apply to a child who:                (1)  is not legally present in the United States; or                (2)  was not a resident of this state before the child   was placed in the custody of the department.          SECTION 3.  Section 521.421(a-1), Transportation Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a-1)  The fee for a personal identification certificate   issued under Section 501.0165, Government Code, [or] Section   841.153, Health and Safety Code, or Section 245.0536, Human   Resources Code, is $5.          SECTION 4.  Sections 245.0536 and 245.0537, Human Resources   Code, as added by this Act, apply only to the release under   supervision or final discharge of a child that occurs on or after   December 1, 2021. A release under supervision or final discharge   that occurs before that date is governed by the law in effect   immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former   law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.B. No. 4544 was passed by the House on April   30, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 2 present, not   voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.   No. 4544 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0,   2 present, not voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House               I certify that H.B. No. 4544 was passed by the Senate, with   amendments, on May 24, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays   0.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate      APPROVED: __________________                   Date                       __________________                 Governor