Bill > SB2286

This bill creates an Oversight Advisory Council on Foster Care Placement, which will be a seven-member advisory group designed to review and provide guidance on the foster care placement system in Texas. The council will consist of members appointed by the governor (including representatives from religious organizations, law enforcement, and foster care parents), the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house, each representing different aspects of the foster care community. Council members will serve staggered four-year terms without compensation, and will be required to meet at least twice annually. The council's primary responsibilities include reviewing the state's foster care placement system, examining complaints about foster care placements, and preparing biennial reports with findings and recommendations to the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, and relevant legislative committees. Members will be tasked with selecting a presiding officer, and the department and commission are obligated to provide the council with necessary information and testimony to support their review. The bill specifies that the initial council members will be appointed by December 1, 2025, with staggered terms, and the council will become operational on September 1, 2025, with the goal of improving oversight and accountability in the foster care placement process.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2286