87R1806 MM-F

By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 619

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 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; and

(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.

(b) 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; and

(3) the information described by Subdivisions (1) and (2) for each child-care facility in the state.

(c) 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.

(d) 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.