By:  Sims                                             S.B. No. 1427
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to certain minimum standards for child-care facilities.
    1-2        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-3        SECTION 1.  Section 42.042, Human Resources Code, is amended
    1-4  by adding Subsection (m) to read as follows:
    1-5        (m)  The department shall ensure that each child-care
    1-6  facility complies with the appropriate minimum standards relating
    1-7  to staff-child ratios, group sizes, and square footage as those
    1-8  minimum standards existed on September 1, 1985.  The department may
    1-9  not adopt new standards in relation to staff-child ratios, group
   1-10  sizes, or square footage that are more stringent than the 1985
   1-11  standards.  This subsection expires January 1, 1998.
   1-12        SECTION 2.  This section takes effect September 1, 1995.  Any
   1-13  child-care facility minimum standards relating to staff-child
   1-14  ratios, group sizes, or square footage that conflict with the
   1-15  minimum standards as they existed on September 1, 1985, are
   1-16  repealed on the effective date of this Act.
   1-17        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.