HBA-JEK H.B. 3550 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3550
By: Raymond
Human Services
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Child-Care Licensing Division (division) of the Texas Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services is responsible for protecting the
health, safety, and well being of children who attend or reside in
regulated child-care facilities and homes.  Through a process mandated by
Chapter 42 of the Human Resources Code, the division develops minimum
standards for regulated facilities and homes as well as policies and
procedures for enforcing those minimum standards.  House Bill 3550 modifies
provisions regarding the regulation of certain child-care facilities,
child-placing agencies, and family homes. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3550 amends the Human Resources Code to include an
open-enrollment charter school, an educational facility accredited by the
Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, and certain kindergarten and
prekindergarten educational programs in the list of organizations that are
exempt from the license or accreditation required for the operation of a
child-care facility or child-placing agency.   

The bill provides that the fee schedule for renewals of a license applies
to renewals of a registration or listing of a facility, agency, or home.
If a person who has more than a 20 percent ownership interest in a
corporation that has had a license, listing, registration, or certification
revoked H.B. 3550 prohibits the corporation from applying for any license,
listing, registration, or certificate before the second anniversary of the
date on which the revocation takes effect. 

H.B. 3550 requires a facility or family home that receives a notice that
its license, listing, or registration is revoked to notify the parents or
guardians of each child it serves, regardless of whether the facility or
home files an appeal of the revocation or suspension with the State Office
of Administrative Hearings. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.