BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1341
                                               By: Stiles (Lucio)
                                                          Finance
                                                          5-16-95
                                Senate Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND

In 1987, the legislature created the Child Care Resource
Clearinghouse to develop expertise and provide technical assistance
to state agencies and public and private employers regarding
options for offering child day care as an employee benefit. 
Partial funding for the clearinghouse comes from a $2 surcharge on
certified copies of birth certificates issued by the State Bureau
of Vital Statistics.  Fiscal, legal, and other in-kind support is
provided by the Texas Employment Commission.  However, in 1991, the
scope of this mission was expanded and renamed the Work and Family
Policies Clearinghouse by the legislature.  The legislation
mandated the clearinghouse to provide information concerning
technical assistance, dependent care, and other employment-related
family issues to public and private employers, state agencies,
policy makers and individuals.

In 1993, the administration of the School Child Care Services Fund
was transferred from the Texas Department of Community Affairs to
the Texas Employment Commission.  The clearinghouse was designated
to administer the federally funded Dependent Care Development
Grant.  These grants assist the clearinghouse in the development of
child care resources.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1341 provides additional funding from a $2 dollar
surcharge on birth certificates issued at the local level for the
Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse for a grant program for
demonstration dependent care projects.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted
to the Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse under SECTION 4 (Sec.
81.0045, Labor Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 191.0045(d) and (f), Health and Safety
Code, as follows:

     (d)  Requires a local registrar who issues a certified copy of
     a birth or death certificate to charge the same fees as
     charged by the bureau of vital statistics, including the
     additional fee required under Subsection (e), except as
     provide by Subsection (g).
     
     (f)  Authorizes money in the fund to be used only for the
     purposes prescribed by Section 81.006, Labor Code, rather than
     Section 4, Article 5221g-1, V.T.C.S.
     
     (g)  Authorizes a local registrar that on March 31, 1995, was
     charging a fee for the issuance of a certified birth
     certificate that exceeded the fee charged by the bureau of
     vital statistics for the same type of certificate to continue
     to do so.  Prohibits the registrar from raising the fee until
     the fee charged by the bureau exceeds the fee charged by the
     local registrar.  Requires a local registrar to which this
     subsection applies to charge the additional fee as required
     under Subsection (e).
     
     SECTION 2.     Amends Section 191.022, Health and Safety Code, by
adding Subsection (f), to require a local registrar who collects a
fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate to deduct 20 cents
of that fee to apply to the registrar's administrative costs and
remit $1.80 of that fee to the comptroller for deposit in the work
and family policies fund.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 118.015, Government Code, to require a
county clerk who collects a fee under this section for a certified
copy of a birth certificate to deduct 20 cents of that fee to apply
to the clerk's administrative costs and remit $1.80 of that fee to
the comptroller for deposit in the work and family policies fund.
Makes conforming changes.

SECTION 4. Amends Chapter 81, Labor Code, by adding Section
81.0045, as follows:

     Sec.  81.0045.  DEPENDENT CARE GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  Authorizes
     the Work and Family Policy Clearinghouse (clearinghouse) to
     establish a grant program to provide funds to public or
     private persons to conduct demonstration dependent care
     projects.
     
     (b)  Requires the clearinghouse to adopt rules governing the
       submission and approval of grant requests and the
       cancellation of grants.
       
       (c)  Requires a person whose is approved to execute an
       interagency agreement or a contract with the clearinghouse
       to receive a grant.  Requires the contract to require the
       person receiving the grant to perform the services as stated
       in the approved grant request.  Requires the contract to
       contain appropriate provisions for program and fiscal
       monitoring.
     SECTION 5.     Amends Section 81.006(a), Labor Code, to provide that
money in the fund is derived from fees deposited as required by
Sections 191.0045 and 191.022(f), Health and Safety Code, and
Section 118.015(b), Local Government Code.

SECTION 6. Effective date:  September 1, 1995.
           Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 7. Emergency clause.