By West S.B. No. 339
75R3352 KKA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of the Texas child care fund and
1-3 compensation of certain child care providers.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Chapter 308 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 308. TEXAS CHILD CARE FUND
1-8 Sec. 308.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "fund" means the
1-9 Texas child care fund.
1-10 Sec. 308.002. TEXAS CHILD CARE FUND. (a) The Texas child
1-11 care fund is an account in the general revenue fund consisting of
1-12 money donated to the state for child care services.
1-13 (b) Money in the fund shall be used to provide child care
1-14 services in a manner that maximizes the state's entitlement to
1-15 receive federal matching money.
1-16 Sec. 308.003. ADMINISTRATION AND PROMOTION OF FUND.
1-17 (a) The commission, with assistance from the advisory board
1-18 appointed under Section 308.004, shall:
1-19 (1) administer the fund;
1-20 (2) solicit donations to the fund from all appropriate
1-21 sources, including businesses and nonprofit organizations;
1-22 (3) distribute money in the fund to provide child care
1-23 services; and
1-24 (4) aggressively promote public awareness of the fund
2-1 and the need for donations to provide adequate child care services
2-2 in this state.
2-3 (b) Subject to Section 308.002(b), the commission may enter
2-4 into a contract with a donor governing the use of money contributed
2-5 by the donor to the fund.
2-6 (c) The commission may adopt rules necessary for the
2-7 administration and promotion of the fund.
2-8 Sec. 308.004. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) The commission shall
2-9 appoint a permanent advisory board to assist and monitor the
2-10 commission in administering and promoting the fund. The advisory
2-11 board shall include representatives from:
2-12 (1) the commission;
2-13 (2) the office of the comptroller;
2-14 (3) the Texas Department of Human Services;
2-15 (4) businesses and business organizations; and
2-16 (5) nonprofit organizations.
2-17 (b) The advisory board shall periodically evaluate the
2-18 operation of the fund and make recommendations to the commission on
2-19 the administration and promotion of the fund.
2-20 (c) A member of the advisory board serves at the will of the
2-21 commission.
2-22 (d) The advisory board is subject to Article 6252-33,
2-23 Revised Statutes, other than Section 8 of that article.
2-24 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Labor Code, is amended
2-25 by adding Section 301.067 to read as follows:
2-26 Sec. 301.067. CHILD CARE MARKET SURVEY; COMPENSATION RATE.
2-27 (a) The commission shall conduct a biennial survey to determine
3-1 the market price of child care services provided throughout the
3-2 state.
3-3 (b) Unless prohibited by federal law, the commission shall
3-4 compensate a provider of child care services under a program
3-5 administered by the commission at a rate equal to at least 75
3-6 percent of the market price of the services in the area in which
3-7 the services are provided.
3-8 SECTION 3. Section 301.067(b), Labor Code, as added by this
3-9 Act, does not apply to child care services provided under a
3-10 contract entered into by a child care provider before the effective
3-11 date of this Act.
3-12 SECTION 4. The Texas Workforce Commission shall appoint the
3-13 advisory board required by Section 308.004, Labor Code, as added by
3-14 this Act, not later than October 1, 1997.
3-15 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-21 passage, and it is so enacted.