79R1050 CLG-D

By:  Zaffirini                                                    S.B. No. 23 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to subsidized child-care services and early childhood care 
and education program coordination.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Sections 29.155(g) and (i), Education Code, are 
amended to read as follows:
	(g)  From amounts appropriated for the purposes of this 
subsection, the commissioner shall [may also] provide for:
		(1)  coordinating early childhood care and education 
programs;              
		(2)  developing and disseminating for programs 
described by Subdivision (1) prekindergarten instructional 
materials and school-readiness information for parents; and
		(3)  developing standards for model early childhood 
care and education coordination.
	(i)  In carrying out the purposes of Subsection (g), a school 
district or open-enrollment charter school may use funds granted to 
the district or school under that [this] subsection in contracting 
with another entity, including a private entity.
	SECTION 2.  Section 29.1561, Education Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
	(c)  The commissioner by rule shall establish a program to 
award financial incentives to providers of early childhood care and 
education programs that, to the greatest extent practicable, 
provide coordinated services authorized under Section 29.158(c).
	SECTION 3.  Section 29.160(c), Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	(c)  A school district, regional education service center, 
institution of higher education, local government, local workforce 
development board, or community organization may develop three
[one] or more coordination-of-resources demonstration projects 
under which government-funded child-care services are operated in a 
coordinated manner.  An entity that develops a proposed 
demonstration project under this subsection must obtain approval of 
the project from the state agency or agencies with regulatory 
jurisdiction over the subject matter involved in the project.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.