March 1, 2017 - Last week, the House Committee on Human Services passed two bills, HB 4 and HB 5, to help reform our dysfunctional foster care system. These bills will be up for debate in the House on Wednesday, March 1st.
HB 4 would work to divert children from the foster care system and keep them with an extended family member; this is called "kinship care". Kinship care is a preferred alternative to foster care as it keeps the child with family members, and many times with a relative who has an existing relationship with the child. Kinship care helps avoid the shock of removing a child from their home and putting them in an entirely foreign environment. Kinship care also helps keep children out of our strained foster care system while still ensuring that they are in a safe environment.
HB 5 provides for an overhaul of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). This overhaul involves removing DFPS from the overview of the Health and Human Services Commission and making it a standalone agency. By making DFPS a standalone agency, more oversight can be provided to make certain that our most vulnerable children are being cared for in an appropriate manner.
This week I also filed some additional legislation. One of the bills would provide more consumer choice with regards to the service contracts that you purchase for your vehicle. A car is one of the biggest investments that many people make, second only to their home. My bill would allow them to negotiate for more protections for their investment. The second bill would allow natural gas to compete on a more even basis as a fuel option for cargo trucks. This will allow our trucking companies to use more Texas natural gas a fuel option for their vehicles and encourage more oil and gas activity in our state.
As the legislative session continues, I am pleased to see so many East Texans in Austin. This week, I was honored to be able to address the East Texas Council of Governments and meet with many of our local leaders to discuss the issues that are important to our area. I also met with a broad range of groups- from teachers to dentists to 4H students and many in between. If you plan to be in Austin, please come see me at the Capitol so we can discuss the issues that are important to you. If you are unable to make it to Austin, please reach out to me at 512-463-0556 or district9.paddie@house.texas.gov.
