JKM S.B. 503 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
S.B. 503
By: Ellis (Olivo)
4-24-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Currently, the School Child Care Services Program (program) is not in
effect because it was eliminated during the 74th Texas Legislature. The
program encouraged school districts to study and to act with community
input regarding the need for child care services in Texas schools. This
fund provided for approximately 10 grants of $40,000 each to accredited
independent school districts and served 900 children per year. In order to
restore the program, legislative action is necessary. This bill
re-establishes the program. S.B. 503 allows the Texas Work and Family
Policies Clearinghouse in the Texas Workforce Commission to provide grants
to local school districts for the purpose of implementing school child
care services before and after the school day for a school district's
schoolaged students. 

PURPOSE
As proposed, S.B. 503 authorizes the Work and Family Policies
Clearinghouse to distribute money appropriated by the legislature to
school districts for the purpose of implementing school-age child care
before and after the school day and during school holidays and vacations
for a school district's school-aged children. In addition, this bill sets
forth guidelines regarding the use of the money. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Workforce Commission under
SECTION 1 (Section 33.902(d), Education Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 33.902, Education Code, by amending Section (c)
and adding Section (d), as follows: 
(c) Makes conforming  changes, and adds "prekindergarten" to program
information the commission shall distribute to school districts. 
(d) Authorizes the Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse (clearinghouse)
to distribute money appropriated by the legislature to any school district
for the purpose of implementing school-age child care before and after the
school day and during school holidays and vacations for a school
district's school-aged students. Requires eligible use of funds to include
planning, development, establishment, expansion, or improvement of child
care services and reasonable start-up costs. Authorizes the clearinghouse
to distribute money to pay fees charged for providing services to students
who are considered to be at risk of dropping out of school under Section
29.081. Requires the Texas Workforce Commission, by rule, to establish
procedures and eligibility requirements for distributing this money to
school districts. 
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.
SECTION 3. Emergency clause.