Amend House Committee Report for SB 23 by inserting a new
section and renumbering subsequent sections as follows:
SECTION . Sections 2308.315 and 2308.316, Government
Code, are amended to read as follows:
Sec. 2308.315. REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR CHILD CARE. Each
board may [shall] establish graduated reimbursement rates for child
care based on the Texas Workforce Commission's designated vendor
program. If a board establishes graduated reimbursement rates for
child care, the [The] minimum reimbursement rate for designated
vendors must be at least five percent greater than the maximum rate
established for nondesignated vendors for the same category of
care. A [The] designated vendor rate differential established in
this section shall be funded with federal child care development
funds dedicated to quality improvement activities.
Sec. 2308.316. FUNDING OF COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS
FOR INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILD CARE. Each board may [shall]
allocate a portion of the board's federal child care development
funds dedicated to quality improvement activities to a competitive
procurement process for a system for quality child care for
children under four years of age that encourages child care
providers to voluntarily meet the criteria of the Texas Workforce
Commission's designated vendor program or national accreditation.
If a board allocates [In allocating] funds under this section,
special consideration shall be given to funding child care for
children under four years of age in low-income communities. This
section may not be interpreted to limit parental choice.