77R9918 KLA-D
By Villarreal H.B. No. 1307
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1307:
By Deshotel C.S.H.B. No. 1307
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of a child-care resource and referral
1-3 network.
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 310 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 310. CHILD-CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL NETWORK
1-8 Sec. 310.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
1-9 (1) "Member" means a member of the child-care resource
1-10 and referral network that provides child-care resource and referral
1-11 services in this state.
1-12 (2) "Network" means the child-care resource and
1-13 referral network administered by a nonprofit public or private
1-14 organization that contracts with the commission to provide
1-15 child-care resource and referral services in this state.
1-16 Sec. 310.002. CHILD-CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL NETWORK. (a)
1-17 The commission, through funds allocated to the commission as the
1-18 agency designated to administer the grant under the Child Care and
1-19 Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 9858 et
1-20 seq.), as amended, and specifically appropriated to the commission
1-21 for that purpose, shall:
1-22 (1) contract with a child-care resource and referral
1-23 network to provide child-care resource and referral services in
1-24 this state; and
2-1 (2) require the network to be administered in
2-2 compliance with the requirements of the block grant program.
2-3 (b) The commission shall use a system of competitive
2-4 procurement to award a contract to a child-care resource and
2-5 referral network that has proven experience in providing child-care
2-6 resource and referral services.
2-7 (c) To the extent funds from the block grant program are
2-8 available for that purpose, the commission shall award the contract
2-9 under this section in a manner that will allow for the provision of
2-10 child-care resource and referral services throughout this state.
2-11 Sec. 310.003. STATEWIDE CHILD-CARE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. (a)
2-12 The network shall conduct a needs assessment to determine the
2-13 supply of and demand for child-care services in this state and to
2-14 identify discrepancies between that supply and demand.
2-15 (b) Based on the needs assessment, the network shall make
2-16 recommendations to the commission regarding collaborative solutions
2-17 to address the identified child-care supply and demand
2-18 discrepancies. The recommended solutions must involve
2-19 collaboration between:
2-20 (1) local workforce development boards;
2-21 (2) community-based social services agencies;
2-22 (3) employers;
2-23 (4) child-care providers; and
2-24 (5) parents who are consumers of child-care services.
2-25 Sec. 310.004. RESOURCE SERVICES. The network, through its
2-26 members, shall provide and continually update resource information
2-27 regarding:
3-1 (1) child-care and early childhood education services
3-2 in this state; and
3-3 (2) assistance in becoming a child-care provider,
3-4 including information about:
3-5 (A) the general requirements for applying for
3-6 and maintaining a license, listing, or registration under Chapter
3-7 42, Human Resources Code; and
3-8 (B) the availability of financial resources and
3-9 educational, technical, and other training opportunities, including
3-10 management skills training and continuing education programs for
3-11 operators and employees of child-care facilities, regardless of
3-12 whether the network or another person provides those opportunities.
3-13 Sec. 310.005. REFERRAL SERVICES. (a) The network, through
3-14 its members, shall provide referral services to:
3-15 (1) a person who is seeking child-care and early
3-16 childhood education services; and
3-17 (2) an employer seeking child-care assistance for the
3-18 employer or an employee through:
3-19 (A) a consultation regarding the availability of
3-20 child-care and early childhood education services; or
3-21 (B) specialized services for the employer or its
3-22 employees.
3-23 (b) In addition to providing referrals to child-care and
3-24 early childhood education services, the network, through its
3-25 members, shall provide:
3-26 (1) referrals to available support services,
3-27 including:
4-1 (A) parenting education classes; and
4-2 (B) services for parents or children offered by
4-3 health and human services agencies, as defined by Section 531.001,
4-4 Government Code, or otherwise available in the community; and
4-5 (2) information for consumers of child-care and early
4-6 childhood education services, including:
4-7 (A) information regarding early childhood
4-8 development;
4-9 (B) criteria for identifying quality child-care
4-10 and early childhood education services that support the healthy
4-11 development of children; and
4-12 (C) other information that will assist consumers
4-13 in making informed and effective choices regarding child-care and
4-14 early childhood education services.
4-15 Sec. 310.006. ADVERTISEMENT OF SERVICES. (a) The network,
4-16 through its members, shall inform parents, child-care consumers,
4-17 child-care providers, and employers located in the member's service
4-18 area of:
4-19 (1) the resource and referral services available from
4-20 the network; and
4-21 (2) the methods by which a person may contact the
4-22 member to access resource and referral services.
4-23 (b) A member may provide the information under Subsection
4-24 (a) through the media and alternative means, including:
4-25 (1) state and local community, job, and health fairs;
4-26 (2) public service announcements and advertisements;
4-27 (3) career development centers;
5-1 (4) offices of health and human services agencies;
5-2 (5) Texas workforce centers that comprise the Texas
5-3 Workforce Network; and
5-4 (6) direct contacts with employers and child-care
5-5 providers.
5-6 Sec. 310.007. COLLECTION OF CHILD-CARE DATA. (a) The
5-7 network, through its members, shall:
5-8 (1) collect and continuously update statewide data
5-9 regarding the supply of and demand for child-care and early
5-10 childhood education services in this state;
5-11 (2) report the data to the commission each calendar
5-12 quarter; and
5-13 (3) make the information available statewide.
5-14 (b) The data required by this section must include a
5-15 comprehensive compilation of all available child-care and early
5-16 childhood education services in this state and information
5-17 concerning unmet needs of consumers with respect to those services.
5-18 (c) The commission and the Department of Protective and
5-19 Regulatory Services shall provide assistance to the network and
5-20 members of the network in collecting, aggregating, and updating the
5-21 data required by this section.
5-22 Sec. 310.008. RULES. The commission may adopt rules
5-23 necessary to implement this chapter.
5-24 SECTION 2. The Texas Workforce Commission shall award a
5-25 contract to establish the child-care resource and referral network
5-26 required by Chapter 310, Labor Code, as added by this Act, not
5-27 later than January 1, 2002.
6-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.