JKM S.B. 213 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT S.B. 213 By: Ellis (Coleman) 5-8-97 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND Currently, under Texas Law, day-care centers and facilities do not require state certification for training centers that offer training and certification for recipients of public assistance in basic child care, child-care vendor entrepreneurial training, and Head Start teaching. The comptroller's publication, Disturbing the Peace, has recommended that the "[s]tate law should be amended to direct the Texas Workforce Commission's (TWC) Child Care Management System to establish regulations and requirements for the licensing of child-care facilities to offer training and certification in the Child Development Associate national credential to recipients of public assistance. This program would offer training in basic child care, child-care vendor entrepreneurial training, and Head Start teaching." This bill would require TWC to establish a pilot program in which the division of workforce development of TWC shall certify certain day-care training facilities in Harris County as centers that offer training and certification for recipients of public assistance in basic skills, child care, child care vendor entrepreneurial training, and early childhood education. Additionally, this bill would require TWC to report by January 31, 1999, to the presiding officer of each house of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, regarding the results of the pilot programs and setting forth recommendations for the development of a statewide chid care training program for public assistance recipients. PURPOSE To require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish a pilot program in which the division of workforce development of TWC shall certify certain day-care training facilities in Harris County as centers that offer training and certification for recipients of public assistance in basic skills, child care, child care vendor entrepreneurial training, and early childhood education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does expressly grant rulemaking authority to the Texas Workforce Commission in SECTION 1 (Sections 302.003(b) and (j), Labor Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 302A, Labor Code, by adding Section 302.003, as follows: Sec. 302.003. CHILD CARE TRAINING CENTER PILOT PROGRAM. (a)Requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish a pilot program in which the division of workforce development of TWC shall certify day-care training facilities licensed under Chapter 42, Human Resources Code, in Harris County, as training centers that offer training and certification for recipients of public assistance in basic skills, child care, child care vendor entrepreneurial training, and early childhood education. (b)Requires the TWC to cooperate with the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (DPRS) in the adoption of rules and prohibits TWC from adopting a rule which conflicts with a DPRS rule. (c) Requires the commission to award a contract to a child care facility to act as a training center based on the level of training of the facility's staff, and the history of the facility in delivering high quality care. (d)Requires the child care subsidy for a person who participates in training through a pilot program and who qualifies for a subsidy for the person's child to be paid directly to the facility. Provides that the facility may not count such a person in the facility's child-to-staff ratio. (e)Authorizes a person who is a recipient of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, to qualify to participate in training through a pilot program by applying to TWC and meeting certain criteria. (f)Requires funding for a person who participates in training through a pilot program to be provided through a work supplementation program for 12 months. Authorizes TWC to provide additional funding for the person to participate in training through the pilot program for an additional 12 months. (g)Authorizes TWC to provide funding for a person who participates in training through a pilot program to complete the person's Child Development Associate national credential or other child care certification; participate in ongoing interactive training; and provide start-up grants and loans to establish the person's own child care business. (h)Authorizes a facility that provides training through a pilot program to maintain a mentor relationship with each person who participates in training through the program at the facility. Authorizes a person who participates in training at a facility to be required to participate in additional training programs after the date the person completes the pilot program. (i)Provides that the child of a person who participates in training through a pilot program is entitled to the same discounted rate for child care services at the facility in which the person is participating in training that the facility offers to the facility's employees. States that the child care subsidy for the person's child shall be paid to the facility and that the money saved by the commission under this subsection may be used by the commission to administer the pilot program established under this section. (j)Requires TWC to adopt rules that establish eligibility criteria for a facility to participate in a pilot program and provide requirements for implementation of the pilot program. (k)Requires TWC to report by January 31, 1999, to the presiding officer of each house of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, regarding the results of the pilot programs created under this section. Requires the report to include recommendations to the legislature regarding the development of a statewide child care training program for recipients of public assistance. (l)Defines "work supplement program." SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT #1. In SECTION 1, strikes the existing Subsection (a) which requires one pilot program to be established in a county of more than 2.8 million and inserts a new Subsection (a) that requires four pilot programs to be established. At least one pilot program site will be in an urban area and at least one will be in a rural area. Adds language to Subsection (e)(1) that allows enrollment in a program leading to a high school diploma or the equivalent to be used in the application process.