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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to including certain child care providers in the Texas |
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Rising Star Program and establishing a pilot program to expand |
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participation in the Texas Rising Star Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2308.3155, Government Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Rising Star Program is a [voluntary,] |
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quality-based child care rating and quality improvement system of |
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child care providers licensed by or registered with the Health and |
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Human Services Commission [participating in the commission's
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subsidized child care program]. |
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(b) The commission shall adopt rules to administer the Texas |
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Rising Star Program, including: |
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(1) guidelines for rating a child-care provider who |
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provides child care to a child younger than 13 years of age, |
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including infants and toddlers[, enrolled in the subsidized
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program]; and |
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(2) a timeline and process for regularly reviewing and |
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updating the quality standards used to determine the rating system |
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that includes the commission's consideration of input from |
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interested parties regarding those standards. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2308.3157 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2308.3157. TEXAS RISING STAR PROGRAM PILOT PROGRAM. |
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(a) A local workforce development board may operate a pilot program |
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in the area in which the board operates to increase the number of |
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quality child-care providers in the area. A pilot program under |
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this section must increase participation in the Texas Rising Star |
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Program by: |
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(1) allowing all licensed and registered child-care |
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facilities in the local workforce development area to participate |
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in the Texas Rising Star Program; |
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(2) requiring all subsidized child-care providers in |
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the local workforce development area to participate in the Texas |
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Rising Star Program; |
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(3) allowing the local workforce development board to |
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contract with subsidized child-care providers operating in the |
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board's area and participating in the Texas Rising Star Program to |
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provide child-care services; or |
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(4) a combination of the methods described in |
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Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3). |
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(b) Each local workforce development board participating in |
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a pilot program must: |
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(1) provide quality improvement support and resources |
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to participating child-care providers; and |
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(2) give priority to child-care providers that: |
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(A) operate in an area with a higher poverty rate |
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than the state's average poverty rate; or |
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(B) primarily serve low-income families. |
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(c) A local workforce development board is not required to |
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participate in a pilot program authorized by this section. |
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(d) Not later than 18 months after the date a local |
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workforce development board begins a pilot program authorized by |
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this section, the board shall submit a report to the commission and |
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the governor's Texas Early Learning Council that includes: |
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(1) a summary of each local workforce development |
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board's evaluation of the results of the board's pilot program; and |
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(2) a recommendation regarding the method for |
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implementing the pilot program and expanding the program to other |
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local workforce development boards. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |