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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; |
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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 the child-care workforce, who |
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constitute not less than 25 percent of the membership of the board |
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and who have: |
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(A) at least five years of experience working in |
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child-care, early childhood, or out-of-school programs, including |
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organizations providing care and education services to children |
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from birth until age 12 and organizations supporting quality or |
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credentialing for the care and education of children from birth |
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until age 12; or |
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(B) expertise in child care or early childhood |
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education; and |
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(4) 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. |
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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 provider may receive assistance with |
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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. Section 302.0042(d), Labor Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) In this section, "quality child care provider" means a |
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child care provider that: |
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(1) participates in the commission's Texas Rising Star |
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Program as a three-star or four-star provider; or |
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(2) is accredited by the National Early Childhood |
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Program Accreditation Commission or the National Association for |
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the Education of Young Children, or holds any other accreditation |
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the commission determines meets the quality standards of the Texas |
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Rising Star Program. |
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SECTION 4. 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. The commission shall develop appropriate written training |
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and a reasonable timeline for implementing each change the |
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commission makes to rules regarding the subsidized child-care |
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program. |
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SECTION 5. 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 structure performance targets for child-care |
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services to allow local workforce development boards to address the |
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needs in the workforce development area identified by the board |
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through a community needs assessment. |
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(b) The commission may establish alternative performance |
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targets that are set by different metrics including: |
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(1) the total number of children served by child-care |
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providers in the 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 the board's workforce development area with a |
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three-star or four-star rating; |
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(3) the number of infants and toddlers served by |
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child-care providers in the board's workforce development area; |
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(4) the number of children served by child-care |
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providers in the board's workforce development area if the area is |
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located in: |
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(A) an area where the number of children younger |
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than six years of age who have working parents is at least three |
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times greater than the capacity of licensed child-care providers in |
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the area; or |
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(B) an area determined by the commission to be |
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underserved with respect to child-care providers; and |
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(5) the number of children served by providers in the |
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board's workforce development area who provide care during |
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non-traditional hours. |
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(c) The commission by rule shall: |
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(1) define the approval process for the alternative |
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performance targets described by Subsection (b); |
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(2) develop the components of and procedures for |
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administering a community needs assessment in local workforce |
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development areas; and |
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(3) determine the allocation of funds to meet |
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alternative performance targets. |
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SECTION 6. Section 2308.256(g), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |