By Villarreal                                         H.B. No. 3578
         77R11512 KLA-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the use of certain child care development funds for
 1-3     quality child care programs.
 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 Section 2308.317 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 2308.317.  EXPENDITURES FOR CERTAIN CHILD CARE QUALITY
 1-8     IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES. (a)  Notwithstanding any other law, the
 1-9     Texas Workforce Commission shall ensure that, to the extent federal
1-10     child care development funds dedicated to quality improvement
1-11     activities are used to improve quality and availability of child
1-12     care, those funds are used only for quality child care programs.
1-13           (b)  For purposes of this section, a quality child care
1-14     program is a program that:
1-15                 (1)  promotes:
1-16                       (A)  the physical, social, emotional, and
1-17     intellectual development of young children;
1-18                       (B)  frequent, positive, warm interactions
1-19     appropriate to a child's age and development; and
1-20                       (C)  regular communication with parents who are
1-21     welcomed by the program at all times to participate in activities
1-22     and to observe, discuss, and recommend policies; and
1-23                 (2)  provides:
1-24                       (A)  a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment
 2-1     for young children;
 2-2                       (B)  planned learning activities appropriate to a
 2-3     child's age and development;
 2-4                       (C)  specially trained child care providers;
 2-5                       (D)  a sufficient number of adults to respond to
 2-6     the needs of each child;
 2-7                       (E)  a variety of age-appropriate materials;
 2-8                       (F)  nutritious meals and snacks;
 2-9                       (G)  an effective program administration; and
2-10                       (H)  an ongoing, systematic evaluation process
2-11     for the program.
2-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-13     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-14     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-15     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-16     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.