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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing reimbursement rates for certain |
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child-care providers participating in the subsidized child-care |
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program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is |
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amended by amending Section 2308.315 and adding Section 2308.3151 |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2308.315. REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CHILD-CARE |
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PROVIDERS [CHILD CARE]. Each board shall establish and implement |
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graduated reimbursement rates for child-care providers |
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participating in the commission's subsidized child-care program |
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that align the commission's age groupings with the |
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child-to-caregiver ratios and group sizes adopted by the Health and |
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Human Services Commission. The graduated rates shall provide the |
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highest reimbursement rate to child-care providers that provide |
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care to children in the age group with the lowest |
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child-to-caregiver ratio. The commission shall supply any |
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demographic data needed by the board to establish the rates. |
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Sec. 2308.3151. REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR TEXAS RISING STAR |
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PROGRAM PROVIDERS. (a) Each board shall establish graduated |
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reimbursement rates for child care based on the commission's Texas |
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Rising Star Program. |
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(b) The minimum reimbursement rate for a Texas Rising Star |
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Program provider must be greater than the maximum rate established |
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for a provider who is not a Texas Rising Star Program provider for |
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the same category of care. The reimbursement rate must be: |
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(1) at least five percent higher for a provider with a |
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two-star rating; |
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(2) at least seven percent higher for a provider with a |
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three-star rating; and |
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(3) at least nine percent higher for a provider with a |
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four-star rating. |
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(c) The Texas Rising Star Program rate differential |
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established in this section shall be funded with federal child-care |
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[child care] development funds. |
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(d) The commission shall examine and implement strategies |
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to address the increased costs a Texas Rising Star Program provider |
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with a four-star or three-star rating would incur to provide care to |
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infants and toddlers due to low child-to-caregiver ratios for |
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children in those age groups. [Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a |
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board may not reimburse a provider under the reimbursement rates |
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provided by Subsection (b) before the date any revisions to rules |
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recommended by the Texas Rising Star Program review work group |
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under Section 2308.321 are adopted by the commission.] |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2023, each local |
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workforce development board shall establish the child-care |
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reimbursement rates required under Section 2308.315, Government |
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Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |