Bill > HB5581

This bill establishes an Oversight Advisory Council on Foster Care Placement in Texas, comprising seven members appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. The council will include representatives from religious organizations, law enforcement, foster care parents, and the foster care community. Members will serve staggered four-year terms without compensation and will be responsible for reviewing the state's foster care placement system and investigating complaints related to children in the department's conservatorship. The council is required to meet at least twice annually and will prepare and submit a biennial report to the department, Health and Human Services Commission, and legislative committees by December 1 of each even-numbered year. The report will summarize their findings about the foster care placement system and include recommendations for potential legislative or administrative actions. The initial council members will be appointed by December 1, 2025, with staggered terms expiring in February 2027 and 2029, and the bill will take effect on September 1, 2025. Unlike many advisory councils, this one is explicitly exempt from standard government advisory council regulations under Chapter 2110 of the Government Code.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB5581