1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certain duties of local workforce development boards in
 1-3     connection with the provision of child care.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Sections 2308.315 and 2308.316 to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           Sec. 2308.315.  REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CHILD CARE.  Each
 1-9     board shall establish graduated reimbursement rates for child care
1-10     based on the Texas Workforce Commission's designated vendor
1-11     program.  The minimum reimbursement rate for designated vendors
1-12     must be at least five percent greater than the maximum rate
1-13     established for nondesignated vendors for the same category of
1-14     care.  The designated vendor rate differential established in this
1-15     section shall be funded with federal child care development funds
1-16     dedicated to quality improvement activities.
1-17           Sec. 2308.316.  FUNDING OF COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS
1-18     FOR INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILD CARE.  Each board shall
1-19     allocate a portion of the board's federal child care development
1-20     funds dedicated to quality improvement activities to a competitive
1-21     procurement process for a system for  quality child care for
1-22     children under four years of age that encourages child care
1-23     providers to voluntarily meet the criteria of the Texas Workforce
1-24     Commission's designated vendor program or national accreditation.
 2-1     In allocating funds under this section, special consideration shall
 2-2     be given to funding child care for children under four years of age
 2-3     in low-income communities.  This section may not be interpreted to
 2-4     limit parental choice.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 3333 was passed by the House on April
         30, 1999, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 3333 on May 26, 1999, by a non-record
         vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 3333 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 24, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor