BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1364

By: Romero, Jr.

International Relations & Economic Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, local workforce boards must fill contracted, subsidized child care spots as they open using their priority waitlists, which include foster youths and children of veterans from their entire service area. These priority lists do not account for the distance between a child care provider and caregivers, and some of the local workforce boards' service areas are geographically vast. As a result, local workforce boards with large service areas can spend a considerable amount of time reaching out to caregivers on lengthy priority lists about an available contracted child care slot before they find a caregiver that lives within a reasonable distance of the child care provider. H.B. 1364 seeks to address this issue by allowing child care providers to use existing waitlists to fill vacant child care spots rather than waiting for a local workforce board to work through their potentially extensive priority list.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 1364 amends the Labor Code to authorize a local workforce development board to allow a child care provider with whom the board contracts for the provision of subsidized child care services to identify and refer to the board children who could be eligible for those services. In making such a referral, the provider must consider whether the child or the child's parent is a member of a group entitled to a priority in the provision of services provided by or in cooperation with the Texas Workforce Commission.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.