85R4110 MK-D By: West S.B. No. 796 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the collection of information concerning the number of juvenile offenders committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department who have been in foster care. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 243, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 243.008 to read as follows: Sec. 243.008. INFORMATION CONCERNING FOSTER CARE HISTORY. (a) In this section, "foster care" means the placement of a child in the conservatorship of a state agency responsible for providing child protective services. (b) The department, during the admission process, shall determine whether a child committed to the department has at any time been in foster care. The department shall record the following on the child's intake form: (1) whether the child is currently in foster care; and (2) if applicable, the number of times the child has previously been placed in foster care. (c) Not later than January 31 of each even-numbered year, the department shall submit a report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing committee having primary jurisdiction over the department. The report must summarize statistical information concerning the total number and percentage of children in the custody of the department during the preceding two years who have at any time been in foster care. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.