Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

_____ HEALTH AND HUMAN
ERVICES/Children/Children
UMAN SERVICES
77 th Texas Legislature
Requires the Health and Human Services Commission and its member agencies, such as the Department
of Health, the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, and the Department of Human Services,
to periodically review and update their policies and procedures to ensure they do encourage participation of
fathers in functions of the agency related to children.
Requires the Office of the Attorney General, which, among other things, administers the state child support
program, to periodically examine and update its policies and procedures to encourage participation of
fathers in functions of the agency related to children.
Salary Increases for Child and Adult Protective Services Providers - S.B. 961
by Senator Moncrief
House Sponsor: Representative Glenn Lewis
Currently a state employee may not receive a salary supplement from any source unless a specific grant of
authority is provided by the General Appropriations Act or other law. The Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services (DPRS) is experiencing a large employee turnover rate, including a 26.5 percent
caseworker turnover rate in its child protective services division in 2000.
Authorizes a county or municipality to supplement from its own funds the salary of a DPRS employee
whose duties include the provision of child and adult protective services.
Provides that a DPRS employee who has worked in the same position for DPRS in a different region is not
eligible for a salary supplement for at least six months after assuming the position in the new region.
Prohibits DPRS from requiring a salary supplement as a condition for creating or maintaining a position in
the region.
Buckle Up Kids for Safety, II - S.B. 1367
by Senator Van de Putte
House Sponsor: Representative Hamric
Provides that it is an offense if a person transports in a passenger car or light truck a child who is younger
than five years of age and less than 36 inches in height and does not keep the child secured in a child
passenger safety seat system.
Makes similar provisions for children younger than 15 years of age.
Senate Research Center 118