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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating an account to promote early child-care |
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development. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 40.0567 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40.0567. EARLY CHILD-CARE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT. |
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(a) The early child-care development account is an account in the |
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general revenue fund that may be appropriated only to the |
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department for the purposes and activities authorized by this |
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section and for reasonable administrative expenses under this |
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chapter. |
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(b) The account consists of: |
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(1) money allocated under the American Recovery and |
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Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. No. 111-5) or any other similar |
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federal legislation that is enacted on or after January 1, 2009, for |
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improving the provision of and quality of infant and toddler care; |
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(2) all money appropriated for the purposes of this |
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section; |
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(3) any gifts, grants, or donations received for the |
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purposes of this section; and |
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(4) interest earned on money in the account. |
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(c) The account is exempt from the application of Section |
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403.095, Government Code. |
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(d) The purpose of the account is to: |
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(1) carry out federal directives under the American |
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Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. No. 111-5) or any |
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other similar federal legislation that is enacted on or after |
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January 1, 2009; |
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(2) fund continuing education initiatives that |
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implement infant and toddler child-care best practices for |
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caregivers; and |
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(3) provide financial support to: |
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(A) parent and consumer education initiatives; |
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and |
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(B) collaborations with the Early Head Start |
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program. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |