Bill > SB162

This bill modifies the Texas Family Code to expand eligibility for foster care payments for relatives or other designated caregivers. Currently, caregivers must be verified by a licensed child-placing agency to operate a foster home in order to receive these payments. The proposed change removes this licensing requirement, allowing caregivers to simply elect to receive foster care payments instead of other benefits, without the previous bureaucratic hurdles of becoming a licensed foster home. This modification appears designed to make it easier for relatives and close connections of foster children to receive financial support when caring for a child, potentially reducing barriers for kinship care and providing more flexible support for families involved in the child welfare system. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, giving state agencies time to prepare for and implement the new, more streamlined approach to caregiver payments.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB162