By Ellis, et al. S.B. No. 1112 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.