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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Workforce Commission |
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and local workforce development boards regarding the provision of |
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child care. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2308.256(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A board is composed as follows: |
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(1) representatives of the private sector, who: |
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(A) constitute a majority of the membership of |
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the board; and |
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(B) are owners of business concerns, chief |
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executives or chief operating officers of nongovernmental |
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employers, or other private sector executives who have substantial |
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management or policy responsibilities, including owners or |
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operators of child-care businesses who must constitute not less |
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than 10 percent of private sector representatives on the board; |
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(2) representatives of organized labor and |
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community-based organizations, who constitute not less than 15 |
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percent of the membership of the board; and |
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(3) representatives of each of the following: |
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(A) educational agencies, including community |
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colleges and secondary and postsecondary practitioners |
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representing vocational education, that are representative of all |
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educational agencies in the service delivery area; |
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(B) vocational rehabilitation agencies; |
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(C) public assistance agencies; |
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(D) economic development agencies; |
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(E) the public employment service; |
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(F) local literacy councils; [and] |
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(G) adult basic and continuing education |
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organizations; and |
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(H) the child-care workforce, including persons |
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with expertise in child care or early childhood education who are |
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not included in the representatives described by Subdivision |
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(1)(B). |
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SECTION 2. Section 2308.3171, Government Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) Each board shall post in a prominent place on the |
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board's Internet website home page and at any physical location |
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where the board provides services: |
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(1) a list of local designated vendors that are |
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child-care providers and have a quality child-care indicator listed |
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in Subsection (a)(1), (2), (3), or (4); [and] |
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(2) a list of local parenting classes; |
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(3) information for parents regarding finding quality |
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child-care providers; |
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(4) information regarding the value of quality child |
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care and the Texas Rising Star Program; |
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(5) information for parents regarding: |
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(A) eligibility for child-care assistance, |
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including subsidized child-care services and other child-care |
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scholarships; |
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(B) the application process for child-care |
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assistance; and |
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(C) determining the status of a financial |
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assistance application; |
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(6) information for child-care providers regarding: |
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(A) the process for accepting children whose |
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parents receive child-care assistance; and |
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(B) the Texas Rising Star Program certification |
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process; and |
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(7) contact information, including a telephone number |
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and an e-mail address, where a child-care provider may receive |
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assistance with questions or bring a grievance. |
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(c-1) Each local workforce development board shall make the |
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following information available to the public on a quarterly basis: |
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(1) data regarding child-care waitlists, including |
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the number of children in the board's workforce development area |
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who are: |
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(A) on a waitlist, disaggregated by age and zip |
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code based on the child's home address; |
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(B) taken off a waitlist and enrolled with a |
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child-care provider under the subsidized child-care program; and |
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(C) added to a waitlist during the quarter; |
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(2) the number of children in the board's workforce |
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development area receiving subsidized child care, disaggregated by |
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zip code based on the child's home address; |
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(3) data regarding child-care providers, including |
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the number of providers in the board's workforce development area |
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who during the quarter: |
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(A) improved the provider's Texas Rising Star |
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Program rating level; |
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(B) had the provider's Texas Rising Star Program |
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rating level decrease; and |
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(C) received quality dollars from the board; and |
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(4) data regarding the outcomes related to quality |
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dollars provided by the board to child-care providers in the |
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board's workforce development area. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 302.00434 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 302.00434. SUBSIDIZED CHILD-CARE PROGRAM; RULE CHANGE |
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POLICY. (a) The commission shall develop appropriate training and |
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provide the training to local workforce development boards and |
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persons who contract with a board to provide services related to the |
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subsidized child-care program. |
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(b) The commission shall develop a reasonable timeline for |
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implementing each change the commission makes to rules regarding |
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the subsidized child-care program. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 302.0063 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 302.0063. CHILD-CARE PERFORMANCE TARGETS. (a) The |
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commission shall establish child-care performance targets in a |
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manner that accounts for cost differentials related to providing |
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child-care services to various populations. In setting the |
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performance targets, the commission shall consider: |
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(1) the total number of children served by child-care |
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providers in a board's workforce development area; |
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(2) the number of children served by Texas Rising Star |
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Program providers in a board's workforce development area with a |
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two-star, three-star, or four-star rating; |
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(3) the needs and ages of children served by |
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child-care providers in a board's workforce development area; |
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(4) the types of providers commonly selected by |
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parents in a board's workforce development area; and |
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(5) any other factors determined necessary by the |
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commission, including data-driven factors provided to the |
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commission by a board. |
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(b) The commission shall, at least once every six months |
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during the performance period, review the commission's child-care |
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performance targets and funding based on those targets and make |
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adjustments based on the cost differentials the commission used at |
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the time the performance targets were initially set. |
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SECTION 5. Section 2308.256(g), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |