Bill > HB2789

This bill makes several changes to child welfare regulations in Texas, focusing on licensing, insurance requirements, and administrative procedures. It creates a new exemption for single source continuum contractors (SSCCs), which are specialized providers of community-based child welfare services, allowing them to operate without a child-placing agency license while still maintaining compliance with child welfare regulations. The bill reduces liability insurance requirements for child care facilities and listed family homes from $300,000 to $100,000 per occurrence, provides more flexibility for initial licensing by extending the initial license validity from six to twelve months, and modifies requirements for child-care and child-placing agency administrators by removing specific educational and experience prerequisites in favor of a more flexible "experiential or educational equivalent" standard. The bill also simplifies "No Trespassing" notice requirements for residential treatment centers and adjusts license renewal fees. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Family and Protective Services to adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025, with a specific mandate to ensure that single source continuum contractors prioritize children's safety and well-being. Most provisions will take effect on September 1, 2025, with some insurance-related changes taking effect on January 1, 2026.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2789