1-1     By:  Cain                                             S.B. No. 1732
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2001; March 14, 2001, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;
 1-4     May 11, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 11, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1732                  By:  Carona
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the creation of family home child care pilot programs
1-11     for certain children under four years of age.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is
1-14     amended by adding Section 2308.317 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 2308.317.  PILOT PROGRAMS FOR SYSTEMS OF FAMILY HOMES.
1-16     (a)  In this section:
1-17                 (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Workforce Commission.
1-18                 (2)  "Family home" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-19     42.002, Human Resources Code.
1-20           (b)  The commission shall select one or more vendors to
1-21     operate pilot programs in three different areas of the state under
1-22     which child care is provided by operators of eligible family homes
1-23     to children under four years of age.  Each pilot program must
1-24     include at least 10 operators of eligible family homes.  At least
1-25     one pilot program must be located in a rural area.
1-26           (c)  After selection of the vendors, each board in an
1-27     affected area of the state shall administer and fund the pilot
1-28     program operating within that area, subject to guidelines
1-29     established by the commission.  Each of those boards shall allocate
1-30     a portion of the board's federal child care development funds to
1-31     pay the costs of the pilot program operating within that area.
1-32           (d)  The commission shall select vendors based on a
1-33     competitive procurement process.  A vendor must have at least seven
1-34     years of relevant experience to be eligible to participate in a
1-35     pilot program.
1-36           (e)  A vendor selected to participate in a pilot program
1-37     shall:
1-38                 (1)  recruit eligible operators of family homes to
1-39     participate in the program; and
1-40                 (2)  provide those eligible operators participating in
1-41     the program with:
1-42                       (A)  training that is based on fostering
1-43     relationships that promote rich language development and provide
1-44     the foundation for moral character;
1-45                       (B)  mentoring; and
1-46                       (C)  other support.
1-47           (f)  To be eligible to participate in a pilot program, an
1-48     operator of a family home must:
1-49                 (1)  be registered under Chapter 42, Human Resources
1-50     Code, and be in compliance with all applicable requirements imposed
1-51     by the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services under that
1-52     chapter;
1-53                 (2)  have a child-to-staff ratio that complies with the
1-54     criteria of the commission's designated vendor program;
1-55                 (3)  provide a homelike environment;
1-56                 (4)  demonstrate an environment that is rich in
1-57     language experiences;
1-58                 (5)  provide child care to a group of children of which
1-59     at least 75 percent are eligible for state-subsidized child care;
1-60     and
1-61                 (6)  maintain flexible hours of operation that meet the
1-62     needs of parents with nontraditional working hours.
1-63           (g)  The commission may not implement the pilot programs in a
1-64     manner that in any way has the effect of limiting parental choice
 2-1     regarding state-subsidized child care.
 2-2           (h)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
 2-3     the commission shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor,
 2-4     and speaker of the house of representatives a report on the pilot
 2-5     programs established under this section.  The report must include
 2-6     an evaluation component prepared by the vendor or vendors of the
 2-7     pilot programs that compares the language development and other
 2-8     developmental features of children receiving child care through the
 2-9     pilot programs to the language development and other developmental
2-10     features of children receiving child care in other settings.  The
2-11     evaluation component must address the efficacy of providing child
2-12     care in the manner provided by the pilot programs and provide a
2-13     cost/benefits ratio relating to that manner of child care delivery.
2-14     The report must also include recommendations on continuation or
2-15     expansion of the programs.
2-16           (i)  This section expires September 1, 2005.
2-17           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-18                                  * * * * *