83R2936 KSD-F

By: Strama H.B. No. 660

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of scholarships, bonuses, and wage supplementation to certain child-care workers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 302.006, Labor Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 302.006. PROFESSIONAL CHILD-CARE TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS, BONUSES, AND WAGE SUPPLEMENTATION. (a) In this section:

(1) "Child-care facility" has the meaning assigned by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code.

(2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.

(a-1) The commission shall [may] develop and administer a program under which the commission awards scholarships to eligible child-care workers [in the amount of $1,000 each for professional child-care training to eligible recipients].

(b) A recipient may use [a] scholarship funds awarded under this section only to pay expenses associated with obtaining:

(1) Child Development Associate (CDA) national credentials administered by the Council for Professional Recognition or a comparable nationally recognized entity that credentials professionals in the early childhood education or child development field;

(2) an [Certified Child-Care Professional (CCP) credentials; or

[(3) a level one certificate or] associate's degree in the field [area] of child development or early childhood education awarded by an [from a public or private] institution of higher education; or

(3) a bachelor's degree in the field of child development, early childhood education, or family and child studies awarded by an institution of higher education.

(c) To be eligible to receive a scholarship [awarded] under this section, a child-care worker [person] must:

(1) be employed by [in] a child-care facility that has agreed to sponsor the child-care worker in accordance with Subsection (d):

(A) for at least 30 hours each week; and

(B) at a pay rate that is less than $15 per hour [, as defined by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code];

(2) intend to obtain a credential[, certificate,] or degree specified in Subsection (b);

(3) agree to work for the sponsoring [at least 18 additional months in a] child-care facility for at least the length of time prescribed by commission rule for purposes of this subdivision; [, as defined by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code, that accepts federal Child Care Development Fund subsidies and that, at the time the person begins to fulfill the work requirement imposed by this subdivision, is located:

[(A) within the attendance zone of a public school campus considered low-performing under Subchapter E, Chapter 39, Education Code; or

[(B) in an economically disadvantaged community, as determined by the commission; and]

(4) agree to pay the percentage of the applicable costs of books, credentialing fees, or tuition and fees associated with obtaining a credential or degree specified in Subsection (b) prescribed by commission rule for purposes of this subdivision; and

(5) satisfy any other requirements adopted by the commission.

(d) A child-care facility that agrees to sponsor a child-care worker under this section must:

(1) provide the child-care worker with:

(A) paid time off as prescribed by commission rule; and

(B) any bonus or wage supplementation to which the child-care worker is entitled under Subsection (e); and

(2) pay the percentage of the applicable costs of books, credentialing fees, or tuition and fees associated with obtaining a credential or degree specified in Subsection (b) prescribed by commission rule for purposes of this subdivision. [A person may not receive more than one scholarship awarded under this section.]

(e) A scholarship recipient who successfully obtains a credential or degree specified in Subsection (b) and satisfies any other program requirement prescribed by this section or a rule adopted under this section is entitled to the [In addition, the commission may provide for] payment of a bonus or wage supplementation [to a scholarship recipient who for 18 months after the date of receiving the scholarship provides care for children younger than six years of age while remaining in the employment of the child-care facility that employed the person when the scholarship was awarded and that meets the requirements of Subsection (c)(3)]. Any bonus or wage supplementation provided under this subsection shall be paid by both the recipient's sponsoring child-care facility [in equal shares by the scholarship recipient's employer] and the commission in shares prescribed by commission rule. The commission shall determine the amount of any bonus and the amount and duration of any wage supplementation provided under this subsection.

(f) The commission shall fund scholarships and any bonuses or wage supplementation provided under this section through federal Child Care Development funds or other funding sources available to the commission. Total funding may not exceed $1 [$2] million per state biennium.

(g) The commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section. The rules must include provisions that:

(1) address the computation of the length-of-service [18-month service] requirement prescribed under [by] Subsection (c)(3) [(c)]; and

(2) ensure that the commission has procedures for recovering [may recover] scholarship money from a recipient who fails to comply with that length-of-service [service] requirement or any other requirement imposed by the commission.

SECTION 2. The Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt rules for the administration of Section 302.006, Labor Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable following the effective date of this Act, but not later than January 1, 2014.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.