December 7, 2016      3:29 PM

Updated: Health and Human Services Chairman Schwertner rolls out CPS reforms, calls on Abbott to make it an emergency item

"We have children going unseen for months at a time, we have children sleeping in office buildings because there's nowhere else for them to go, we have children dying," Chairman Schwertner said. "If this doesn't qualify as an emergency, frankly I don't know what does."

As Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday rolled out $8 million for a pilot program aimed at helping some of the state's most troubled foster kids, he also came under increased pressure to declare the problems in Child Protective Services an emergency item when lawmakers convene next month.

"If this doesn't qualify as an emergency, frankly I don't know what does,” said Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, who also rolled out the Texas Senate’s plan for changes to CPS.

"We have children going unseen for months at a time, we have children sleeping in office buildings because there's nowhere else for them to go, we have children dying," he said.

By Scott Braddock

Copyright December 07, 2016, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved