H.B. No. 2789 is a legislative act aimed at regulating child welfare in Texas, specifically addressing licensure, community-based care contractors, family homes, and child-care facilities. A significant addition to the Human Resources Code is Section 42.0413, which introduces an exemption for "single source continuum contractors" from the requirement to obtain a child-placing agency license while fulfilling their contractual obligations with the department. However, these contractors must still comply with other applicable laws and regulations concerning child welfare services. The bill also clarifies that subcontractors and child-placing agencies under these contractors are not exempt from licensing requirements.

Additionally, the bill amends several existing sections of the Human Resources Code, including changes to liability insurance coverage amounts, immunization requirements for children, and the qualifications for child-care and child-placing agency administrators. Notably, the required liability insurance coverage is reduced from $300,000 to $100,000 for each occurrence of negligence. The bill also modifies the duration of initial licenses from six months to twelve months and updates the renewal fee structure for expired licenses. The commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective Services is tasked with adopting necessary rules to implement these changes by December 1, 2025, ensuring that the safety and well-being of children in the foster care system remain a priority.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Human Resources Code 42.043, Human Resources Code 42.049, Human Resources Code 42.0495, Human Resources Code 42.051, Human Resources Code 42.068, Human Resources Code 43.004, Human Resources Code 43.009, Human Resources Code 42.0431 (Human Resources Code 43, Human Resources Code 42)
House Committee Report: Human Resources Code 42.043, Human Resources Code 42.049, Human Resources Code 42.0495, Human Resources Code 42.051, Human Resources Code 42.068, Human Resources Code 43.004, Human Resources Code 43.009, Human Resources Code 42.0431 (Human Resources Code 43, Human Resources Code 42)
Engrossed: Human Resources Code 42.043, Human Resources Code 42.049, Human Resources Code 42.0495, Human Resources Code 42.051, Human Resources Code 42.068, Human Resources Code 43.004, Human Resources Code 43.009, Human Resources Code 42.0431 (Human Resources Code 43, Human Resources Code 42)
Senate Committee Report: Human Resources Code 42.043, Human Resources Code 42.049, Human Resources Code 42.0495, Human Resources Code 42.051, Human Resources Code 42.068, Human Resources Code 43.004, Human Resources Code 43.009, Human Resources Code 42.0431 (Human Resources Code 43, Human Resources Code 42)
Enrolled: Human Resources Code 42.043, Human Resources Code 42.049, Human Resources Code 42.0495, Human Resources Code 42.051, Human Resources Code 42.068, Human Resources Code 43.004, Human Resources Code 43.009, Human Resources Code 42.0431 (Human Resources Code 43, Human Resources Code 42)