AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In Texas, over 9,200 child care providers care for more than 1.5 million young children daily.  Research emphasizes the importance of the quality of this care.  The elements that produce positive outcomes, mainly qualified caregivers and small ratios and group sizes, are costly.  Many providers face the challenge of how to provide this care while not pricing themselves or parents out of the market.  Providers have little to no supports (exacerbated by the loss of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding) to compensate for the high cost of what is proven to be beneficial to children.

 

No other avenue exists to encourage providers who participate in the Texas Rising Star program to save money on consumable supplies and technology and enable them to afford elements that produce positive outcomes for children.  Currently, local governments, mental health and mental retardation community centers, and "assistance organizations" can access the Texas Procurement and Support Services Cooperative Purchasing Program.

 

S.B. 400 authorizes Texas Rising Star providers, who are providing quality care, to access the cooperative purchasing program, affording them the opportunity to purchase consumable supplies, technology, and services at a discounted rate.  S.B. 400 enables providers to spend money saved from group purchasing on the elements of quality known to produce positive outcomes and serves as an incentive to participate in the state quality program.

 

As proposed, S.B. 400 amends current law relating to the entities eligible to make purchases using the cooperative purchasing program administered by the comptroller.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2155.202, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 2155.202.  New heading: MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL RETARDATION COMMUNITY CENTERS; ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATIONS; CHILD-CARE PROVIDERS.  Authorizes, in addition to certain other entities, a child-care provider that meets the Texas Rising Star Provider criteria described by Texas Workforce Commission rules to purchase goods and services through the Office of Comptroller of Public Accounts.  Makes nonsubstantive changes.  

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2011.