87R6329 MM-D
 
  By: Thompson of Harris, Lopez, Button, H.B. No. 619
      Talarico, et al.
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to developing a strategic plan to support the child-care
  workforce.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
  amended by adding Section 302.0062 to read as follows:
         Sec. 302.0062.  STRATEGIC PLAN TO SUPPORT CHILD-CARE
  WORKFORCE. (a) The commission shall prepare a strategic plan for
  improving the quality of the infant, toddler, preschool, and
  school-age child-care workforce in this state.  The strategic plan
  must include:
               (1)  recommendations for local workforce development
  boards to improve, sustain, and support the child-care workforce;
               (2)  recommendations for increasing compensation for
  and reducing turnover of child-care workers;
               (3)  recommendations for eliminating racial and gender
  pay disparity in the child-care workforce;
               (4)  recommendations for increasing paid opportunities
  for professional development and education for child-care workers,
  including apprenticeships;
               (5)  best practices from local workforce development
  boards in this state and other programs designed to support
  child-care workers;
               (6)  recommendations for increasing participation in
  the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System;
               (7)  recommendations for public and private
  institutions of higher education to:
                     (A)  increase the use of articulation agreements
  with school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; and
                     (B)  assist in the education and training of
  child-care workers;
               (8)  specific recommendations for improving the infant
  and toddler child-care workforce; and
               (9)  a timeline and benchmarks for the commission and
  local workforce development boards to implement recommendations
  from the strategic plan.
         (b)  The commission shall convene a workgroup to assist the
  commission in developing the plan. The workgroup shall include:
               (1)  child-care providers;
               (2)  community stakeholders; and
               (3)  child-care workers.
         (c)  The commission shall use the following information in
  creating the plan:
               (1)  demographic data of child-care workers in this
  state, including:
                     (A)  the race, ethnicity, gender, and educational
  attainment of child-care workers; and
                     (B)  the ages of the children the worker serves;
               (2)  compensation data for child-care workers
  disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and educational
  attainment;
               (3)  the information described by Subdivisions (1) and
  (2) for a representative sample set of child-care facilities in the
  state; and
               (4)  information provided by the workgroup established
  under Subsection (b).
         (d)  The commission shall provide the strategic plan
  prepared under this section to the governor, the lieutenant
  governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives.
         (e)  The commission shall update the strategic plan prepared
  under this section every three years.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 31, 2022, the Texas
  Workforce Commission shall make the strategic plan required by
  Section 302.0062, Labor Code, as added by this Act, available to the
  governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
  representatives.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.