Bill > HB4870

This bill establishes a Relative and Kinship Care Grant Program administered by the Office of Court Administration in Texas, which will provide grants to eligible nonprofit organizations offering legal assistance to relative or kinship caregivers with incomes at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level. The legal assistance can cover a range of support, including obtaining consent for child treatment, creating authorization agreements for nonparent caregivers, securing temporary child care authorizations, filing suits affecting parent-child relationships, and preparing other necessary legal documentation related to child care. The office will have the authority to develop grant application procedures, establish eligibility criteria, set guidelines for grant amounts, evaluate applications, and monitor grant usage. The program will allow the office to accept gifts, grants, and donations to support its operations, and the office can adopt rules to ensure the program effectively provides legal support to relatives and kinship caregivers. The bill will take effect either immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas legislature, or on September 1, 2025, if it does not receive the required immediate voting support.

Budget and Finance

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4870