By Tillery                                            H.B. No. 3333
         76R9091 JMM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 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 vendor program must be voluntary and have standards
1-12     related to the accreditation and certification held by the vendor.
1-13           Sec. 2308.316.  FUNDING OF COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT SYSTEM FOR
1-14     CHILD CARE.  Each board shall allocate a portion of the board's
1-15     federal child care development funds to a competitive procurement
1-16     system that encourages the provision of child care for children
1-17     under four years of age in registered family homes that:
1-18                 (1)  meet the requirements of the Department of
1-19     Protective and Regulatory Services;
1-20                 (2)  have low child-to-staff ratios;
1-21                 (3)  have at least five years of experience with child
1-22     care contracts;
1-23                 (4)  provide a homelike environment;
1-24                 (5)  are located near where the children reside; and
 2-1                 (6)  have flexible hours of operation that meet the
 2-2     needs of parents who  do not have traditional working hours.
 2-3           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.