1-1 By: Ellis, et al. S.B. No. 213 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 15, 1997; January 16, 1997, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human 1-4 Services; March 17, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable 1-5 Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; 1-6 March 17, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 213 By: Moncrief 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the establishment of a child-care training center pilot 1-11 program for certain recipients of public assistance. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended 1-14 by adding Section 302.003 to read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 302.003. CHILD-CARE TRAINING CENTER PILOT PROGRAM. 1-16 (a) The commission shall establish a pilot program in which the 1-17 division shall certify day-care facilities licensed under Chapter 1-18 42, Human Resources Code, in a county having a population of more 1-19 than 2.8 million as training centers that offer training and 1-20 certification for recipients of public assistance in basic skills, 1-21 child care, child-care vendor entrepreneurial training, and early 1-22 childhood education. 1-23 (b) The commission shall cooperate with the Department of 1-24 Protective and Regulatory Services in the adoption of rules under 1-25 this section. The commission may not adopt a rule under this 1-26 section that conflicts with a rule of the Department of Protective 1-27 and Regulatory Services. 1-28 (c) The commission shall award a contract to a child-care 1-29 facility to act as a training center based on: 1-30 (1) the level of training of the facility's staff; and 1-31 (2) the history of the facility in delivering 1-32 high-quality care. 1-33 (d) The child-care subsidy for a person who participates in 1-34 training through a pilot program and who qualifies for a subsidy 1-35 for the person's child shall be paid directly to the facility. The 1-36 facility is not required to count such a person in the facility's 1-37 child-to-staff ratio. 1-38 (e) A person who is a recipient of financial assistance 1-39 under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, may qualify to participate 1-40 in training through a pilot program by applying to the commission 1-41 and: 1-42 (1) providing proof of possession of a high school 1-43 diploma or the equivalent; 1-44 (2) demonstrating possession of general skills and 1-45 competence, as determined by commission rule; and 1-46 (3) demonstrating, to the satisfaction of the 1-47 commission, a long-term commitment to the early childhood care 1-48 profession. 1-49 (f) Funding for a person who participates in training 1-50 through a pilot program shall be provided through a work supplement 1-51 program for 12 months. The commission may provide additional 1-52 funding for the person to participate in training through the pilot 1-53 program for an additional 12 months. 1-54 (g) The commission may also provide funding for a person who 1-55 participates in training through a pilot program to: 1-56 (1) complete the person's Child Development Associate 1-57 national credential or other child-care certification, as 1-58 determined by the commission; 1-59 (2) provide ongoing interactive training; and 1-60 (3) offer start-up grants and loans to establish the 1-61 person's own child-care business. 1-62 (h) A facility that provides training through a pilot 1-63 program shall maintain a mentor relationship with each person who 1-64 participates in training through the program at the facility. A 2-1 person who participates in training at a facility may be required 2-2 to participate in additional training programs after the date the 2-3 person completes the pilot program. 2-4 (i) The child of a person who participates in training 2-5 through a pilot program is entitled to the same discounted rate for 2-6 child-care services at the facility in which the person is 2-7 participating in training that the facility offers to the 2-8 facility's employees. If the rate charged by the facility is 2-9 greater than the amount of the child-care subsidy provided for the 2-10 person's child, the difference in the amounts shall be paid by the 2-11 facility to the commission. Funds received by the commission under 2-12 this subsection may be used by the commission to administer the 2-13 pilot program under this section. 2-14 (j) The commission shall adopt rules that establish 2-15 eligibility criteria for a facility to participate in a pilot 2-16 program and provide requirements for implementation of the pilot 2-17 program. 2-18 (k) The commission shall report not later than January 31, 2-19 1999, to the presiding officer of each house of the 76th 2-20 Legislature, Regular Session, regarding the results of the pilot 2-21 programs created under this section. The report must include 2-22 recommendations to the legislature regarding the development of a 2-23 statewide child-care training program for recipients of public 2-24 assistance. 2-25 (l) In this section, "work supplement program" means a 2-26 program under which the state reserves all or part of the amounts 2-27 that would be payable as benefits to welfare recipients and uses 2-28 those amounts to provide and subsidize jobs for the recipients. 2-29 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-30 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-31 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-32 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-33 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-34 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-35 * * * * *