1-1     By:  Villarreal (Senate Sponsor - Shapleigh)          H.B. No. 3578
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001;
 1-3     May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Business
 1-4     and Commerce; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the use of certain child care development funds for
 1-9     quality child care programs.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is
1-12     amended by adding Section 2308.317 to read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 2308.317.  EXPENDITURES FOR CERTAIN CHILD CARE QUALITY
1-14     IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES. (a)  Notwithstanding any other law, the
1-15     Texas Workforce Commission shall ensure that, to the extent federal
1-16     child care development funds dedicated to quality improvement
1-17     activities are used to improve quality and availability of child
1-18     care, those funds are used only for quality child care programs.
1-19           (b)  For purposes of this section, a quality child care
1-20     program is a program that:
1-21                 (1)  promotes:
1-22                       (A)  the physical, social, emotional, and
1-23     intellectual development of young children;
1-24                       (B)  frequent, positive, warm interactions
1-25     appropriate to a child's age and development; and
1-26                       (C)  regular communication with parents who are
1-27     welcomed by the program at all times to participate in activities
1-28     and to observe, discuss, and recommend policies; and
1-29                 (2)  provides:
1-30                       (A)  a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment
1-31     for young children;
1-32                       (B)  planned learning activities appropriate to a
1-33     child's age and development;
1-34                       (C)  specially trained child care providers;
1-35                       (D)  a sufficient number of adults to respond to
1-36     the needs of each child;
1-37                       (E)  a variety of age-appropriate materials;
1-38                       (F)  nutritious meals and snacks;
1-39                       (G)  an effective program administration; and
1-40                       (H)  an ongoing, systematic evaluation process
1-41     for the program.
1-42           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-43     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-44     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-45     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-46     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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