84R11495 LED-D

By: King of Taylor H.B. No. 3658

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the development and administration of a parent orientation and education pilot program for recipients of subsidized child-care services.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by adding Chapter 316 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 316. PARENT ORIENTATION AND EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM

Sec. 316.001. PARENT ORIENTATION AND EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall develop and implement a pilot program to offer parent orientation and other parent education programs to parents receiving subsidized child-care services through a local workforce development board.

(b) The commission shall select one local workforce development board located in a rural area and one local workforce development board located in an urban area to participate in the pilot program.

(c) Not later than December 1, 2016, a participating local workforce development board shall develop a curriculum, including video programming, for a parent orientation program to be offered by the local workforce development board to parents initially receiving or waiting to receive subsidized child-care services. Not later than December 1, 2016, the participating local workforce development board shall also develop curricula for additional parent education programs for parents receiving subsidized child-care services to supplement parent orientation.

(d) A participating local workforce development board shall include in the curriculum for each program information for parents relating to:

(1) early brain development;

(2) child growth and development;

(3) the importance of continuity of child care; and

(4) strategies for:

(A) employing positive child guidance;

(B) selecting a quality child-care program; and

(C) supporting a child's educational success.

Sec. 316.002. PARENT PARTICIPATION IN PARENT ORIENTATION. (a) A participating local workforce development board shall offer parent orientation to a parent who is eligible to receive subsidized child-care services through the board. A board may not require a parent to participate in the orientation.

(b) A participating local workforce development board shall ensure that a parent who participates in the parent orientation receives priority for child-care services within the parent's priority group, as established by the commission, over those parents within the priority group who do not participate in the orientation.

(c) Each participating local workforce development board shall establish a deadline by which a parent who applies for subsidized child-care services must complete the parent orientation in order to receive the benefit of participation described in Subsection (b).

Sec. 316.003. PARENT ORIENTATION REQUIREMENTS. (a) A participating local workforce development board shall use the curriculum developed by that board under Section 316.001 as the content of parent orientation.

(b) A participating local workforce development board shall offer parent orientation at least three times a month.

(c) A participating local workforce development board member possessing qualifications described by Section 2308.256(g), Government Code, shall act as the instructor for parent orientation.

(d) A parent orientation session must:

(1) include both group discussion and video programming; and

(2) be at least 1-1/2 hours but not more than 3 hours in duration.

(e) A participating local workforce development board shall provide parent orientation in English and in a second language appropriate to the demographic makeup of the community served.

(f) A participating local workforce development board may conduct parent orientation at a physical location where the board provides services or at a location in the community that is accessible to participants in the orientation. The board shall provide the option to participate in parent orientation by video conference through the Internet.

Sec. 316.004. ADDITIONAL PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (a) In addition to parent orientation, a participating local workforce development board shall offer parent education programs using the curricula developed by that board under Section 316.001 to a parent receiving subsidized child-care services through the board. A board may not require a parent to participate in a parent education program.

(b) A participating local workforce development board may offer incentives to encourage participation in the parent education programs.

(c) A participating local workforce development board shall offer the parent education programs in the languages, locations, and manner described by Sections 316.003(e) and (f).

Sec. 316.005. PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM IN LIEU OF TERMINATION. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), a parent receiving subsidized child-care services through a participating local workforce development board who becomes ineligible for subsidized child-care services because of a child's excessive absences or because the parent violated the responsibility agreement required by Section 31.0031, Human Resources Code, may retain eligibility for child-care services if the parent:

(1) enrolls in a parent education program offered by a local workforce development board under Section 316.004 not later than the 30th day after the date the board sends notice of ineligibility to the parent;

(2) successfully completes the parent education program within the time designated by board policy; and

(3) otherwise cures the parent's ineligibility according to board policy.

(b) A parent may retain eligibility for child-care services by completing a parent education program as provided by this section after only the first time the parent becomes ineligible for a reason under Subsection (a).

(c) A participating local workforce development board shall adopt policies to administer this section, including a policy that:

(1) specifies the manner in which a parent proves successful completion of a parent education program under this section; and

(2) ensures that a parent described under Subsection (a) will continue to receive child-care services while the parent is completing the parent education program.

Sec. 316.006. EVALUATION AND REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. (a) The commission shall develop a process for evaluating the effectiveness of the parent orientation and education programs and determine performance measures for the evaluation process not later than January 1, 2018.

(b) The evaluation process under this section must:

(1) provide for the collection of feedback from parents who participated in the parent orientation and education programs; and

(2) determine whether the parent orientation and education programs should be continued, modified, or expanded for statewide implementation.

(c) The commission shall issue a report to the legislature regarding the commission's findings under this section and recommendations regarding the parent orientation and education programs.

Sec. 316.007. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires January 15, 2019.

SECTION 2. The Texas Workforce Commission is required to perform the evaluation and issue the report as required under Section 316.006, Labor Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 15, 2019.

SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency determines that authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the authorization is granted.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.