By Raymond H.B. No. 3211
75R7360 KKA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to development of a statewide consumer guide on child
1-3 care.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 403.026 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 403.026. CHILD-CARE CONSUMER GUIDE; INTERAGENCY WORK
1-8 GROUP. (a) The comptroller shall develop and periodically update
1-9 a statewide consumer guide for child care designed to assist
1-10 child-care consumers in making informed choices regarding available
1-11 child-care services. The guide must:
1-12 (1) contain a directory of accredited service
1-13 providers of child care;
1-14 (2) contain comprehensive information on service
1-15 providers, including staff-child ratios, group sizes, level of
1-16 training of staff and management, hours of availability, price
1-17 information, and other relevant information;
1-18 (3) enable a child-care consumer to identify and
1-19 assess each option available for meeting a child-care consumer's
1-20 individual needs; and
1-21 (4) contain current information about early childhood
1-22 development and factors to consider in making informed child-care
1-23 choices.
1-24 (b) An interagency work group is created to assist the
2-1 comptroller in developing and updating the guide. The work group
2-2 is composed of representatives of:
2-3 (1) the comptroller's office, appointed by the
2-4 comptroller;
2-5 (2) the Texas Workforce Commission, appointed by the
2-6 executive director of that agency;
2-7 (3) the Texas Department of Human Services, appointed
2-8 by the commissioner of human services;
2-9 (4) the Department of Protective and Regulatory
2-10 Services, appointed by the executive director of that agency;
2-11 (5) businesses and business organizations, appointed
2-12 by the comptroller;
2-13 (6) resource and referral agencies, appointed by the
2-14 comptroller;
2-15 (7) nonprofit organizations, appointed by the
2-16 comptroller; and
2-17 (8) child-care consumers, appointed by the
2-18 comptroller.
2-19 (c) A member of the work group serves at the will of the
2-20 appointing agency.
2-21 (d) The comptroller shall appoint a member of the work group
2-22 to serve as presiding officer, and members of the work group shall
2-23 elect any other necessary officers.
2-24 (e) The work group shall meet at the call of the presiding
2-25 officer.
2-26 (f) The appointing entity is responsible for the expenses of
2-27 a member's service on the work group. A member of the work group
3-1 receives no additional compensation for serving on the work group.
3-2 (g) The work group is not subject to Article 6252-33,
3-3 Revised Statutes.
3-4 (h) The entities listed in Subsection (b) shall take all
3-5 action necessary to assist the comptroller in developing and
3-6 updating the guide, including providing staff with expertise in
3-7 information and referral services and other necessary resources,
3-8 but may not diminish services required to be provided by other law.
3-9 (i) The comptroller shall make the guide available to the
3-10 public in print, in electronic format, and through the Internet.
3-11 SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 1998, the comptroller
3-12 shall complete development of the child-care consumer guide
3-13 required by Section 403.026, Government Code, as added by this Act,
3-14 and make the guide available in the manner required by that
3-15 section.
3-16 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-22 passage, and it is so enacted.