By: Cain S.B. No. 1732
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of family home child care pilot programs
1-3 for certain children under four years of age.
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. PILOT PROGRAMS FOR SYSTEMS OF FAMILY HOMES.
1-8 (a) In this section:
1-9 (1) "Commission" means the Texas Workforce Commission.
1-10 (2) "Family home" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-11 42.002, Human Resources Code.
1-12 (b) The commission shall select one or more vendors to
1-13 operate pilot programs in three different areas of the state under
1-14 which child care is provided by operators of eligible family homes
1-15 to children under four years of age. Each pilot program must
1-16 include at least 10 operators of eligible family homes. At least
1-17 one pilot program must be located in a rural area.
1-18 (c) After selection of the vendors, each board in an
1-19 affected area of the state shall administer and fund the pilot
1-20 program operating within that area, subject to guidelines
1-21 established by the commission. Each of those boards shall allocate
1-22 a portion of the board's federal child care development funds to
1-23 pay the costs of the pilot program operating within that area.
1-24 (d) The commission shall select vendors based on a
1-25 competitive procurement process. A vendor must have at least seven
2-1 years of relevant experience to be eligible to participate in a
2-2 pilot program.
2-3 (e) A vendor selected to participate in a pilot program
2-4 shall:
2-5 (1) recruit eligible operators of family homes to
2-6 participate in the program; and
2-7 (2) provide those eligible operators participating in
2-8 the program with:
2-9 (A) training that is based on fostering
2-10 relationships that promote rich language development and provide
2-11 the foundation for moral character;
2-12 (B) mentoring; and
2-13 (C) other support.
2-14 (f) To be eligible to participate in a pilot program, an
2-15 operator of a family home must:
2-16 (1) be registered under Chapter 42, Human Resources
2-17 Code, and be in compliance with all applicable requirements imposed
2-18 by the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services under that
2-19 chapter;
2-20 (2) have a child-to-staff ratio that complies with the
2-21 criteria of the commission's designated vendor program;
2-22 (3) provide a homelike environment;
2-23 (4) demonstrate an environment that is rich in
2-24 language experiences;
2-25 (5) provide child care to a group of children of which
2-26 at least 75 percent are eligible for state-subsidized child care;
3-1 and
3-2 (6) maintain flexible hours of operation that meet the
3-3 needs of parents with nontraditional working hours.
3-4 (g) The commission may not implement the pilot programs in a
3-5 manner that in any way has the effect of limiting parental choice
3-6 regarding state-subsidized child care.
3-7 (h) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
3-8 the commission shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor,
3-9 and speaker of the house of representatives a report on the pilot
3-10 programs established under this section. The report must include
3-11 an evaluation component prepared by the vendor or vendors of the
3-12 pilot programs that compares the language development and other
3-13 developmental features of children receiving child care through the
3-14 pilot programs to the language development and other developmental
3-15 features of children receiving child care in other settings. The
3-16 evaluation component must address the efficacy of providing child
3-17 care in the manner provided by the pilot programs and provide a
3-18 cost/benefits ratio relating to that manner of child care delivery.
3-19 The report must also include recommendations on continuation or
3-20 expansion of the programs.
3-21 (i) This section expires September 1, 2005.
3-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.