BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 264

By: Zaffirini

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Local workforce development boards are not currently required to include certain quality child-care indicators for subsidized child-care providers in the materials provided to parents, families, and other caregivers of infants and young children.  S.B. 264 seeks to help families and other caregivers make informed choices when placing a child in a program by requiring local workforce development boards to provide such information.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 264 amends the Government Code to require each local workforce development board, not later than January 1, 2012, to provide information on quality child-care indicators for each licensed or registered child-care provider in the area and to determine the manner in which to provide such information.

S.B. 264 defines "quality child-care indicator" as any appropriate indicator of quality services, including whether the provider of the services meets the Texas Rising Star Provider criteria described by Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) rules, is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization approved by the TWC, is certified under the school readiness certification system developed and adopted by the State Center for Early Childhood Development, meets certain standards for model early childhood care and education coordination, or has achieved any other measurable target that is relevant to improving the quality of child care in Texas and that has been approved by the TWC.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.