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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the child care accessibility and |
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affordability task force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "task force" means the child |
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care accessibility and affordability task force established under |
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this section. |
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(b) The task force is established to study the accessibility |
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and affordability of child care in this state. |
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(c) The task force is composed of the following 11 members: |
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(1) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission, or the executive commissioner's designee |
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approved by the governor; and |
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(2) 10 members appointed by the executive commissioner |
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of the Health and Human Services Commission as follows: |
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(A) two child development professionals who are |
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licensed to practice in this state, one of whom must specialize in |
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early childhood education; |
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(B) one representative of a state employee |
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organization described by Section 403.0165, Government Code; |
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(C) one representative of an organization |
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representing the interests of licensed child-care facilities; |
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(D) one social worker licensed to practice in |
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this state; |
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(E) one community advocate for child care |
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workers; |
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(F) one representative of the business community |
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in this state; |
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(G) one representative of or director from a |
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private child care facility; |
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(H) one home-based child care provider; and |
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(I) one state employee who is a parent of not less |
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than one school-aged child. |
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(d) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for |
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service on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement for |
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actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing task force |
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duties. The task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations to |
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pay for those expenses. |
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(e) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall appoint a chair and vice chair of the task |
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force. |
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(f) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call |
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of the chair and may meet at other times at the call of the chair. |
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The chair shall set the agenda for each meeting. |
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(g) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any |
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other law, the task force may meet by telephone conference call, |
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videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method. A |
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meeting held by telephone conference call, videoconference, or |
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other similar telecommunication method is subject to the |
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requirements of Sections 551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government |
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Code. |
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(h) The task force shall: |
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(1) conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the |
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accessibility and affordability of child care in this state; |
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(2) develop recommendations to incentivize |
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employer-supported child care; |
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(3) create a cost-estimate model to project the cost |
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of providing safe, accessible, and affordable child care to anyone |
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in this state who needs to use child care; |
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(4) identify regions of the state in which child care |
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is less accessible than in the state at large, and shall develop |
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recommendations for improving the availability of child care in |
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those regions, including: |
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(A) proposing policies that will address racial, |
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ethnic, and any geographic disparity and proportionality in the |
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delivery of child care services; and |
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(B) identifying opportunities to streamline the |
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child care licensing requirements and to facilitate development and |
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construction of additional child care facilities; and |
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(5) conduct a survey of state employees to better |
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understand the barriers to accessing and affording child care. |
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(i) The task force shall submit a written report to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and each member of the legislature not later than |
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December 31, 2022, detailing the findings of the task force. The |
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report must include: |
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(1) a summary of the accessibility and affordability |
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of child care to state employees, as determined by the survey in |
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Subsection (h)(5) of this section; and |
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(2) a plan to provide accessible and affordable child |
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care to all families in this state by the year 2030. |
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(j) The task force is abolished and this Act expires June 1, |
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2023. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |