H.B. No. 2607
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Workforce Commission
  and local workforce development boards regarding the provision of
  child care and the subsidized child care program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2308.3155, Government Code, is amended
  by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (b-1) and (b-2)
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The Texas Rising Star Program is a [voluntary,]
  quality-based child care rating system of child care providers
  participating in the commission's subsidized child care program.
         (b-1)  The rating system adopted under Subsection (b) must
  include an entry level rating for child care providers and a maximum
  length of time a provider may participate at the entry level rating.
  To qualify for the entry level rating a child care provider must
  meet the minimum quality standards that qualify the provider to
  receive technical assistance and support under the Texas Rising
  Star Program. A provider participating at the entry level rating is
  not eligible for increased reimbursement rates.
         (b-2)  The commission shall develop a process to allow a
  child care provider to request a waiver to extend the length of time
  the provider may participate at the entry level rating described by
  Subsection (b-1). The waiver authorized by this subsection may not
  exceed 36 months.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 302.0042(b) and (c), Labor Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The commission's evaluation must assess:
               (1)  the use of current federal child care funds by each
  local workforce development board;
               (2)  the ability of each local workforce development
  board to meet child care performance measures;
               (3)  the average cost of child care in each local
  workforce development area;
               (4)  the average monthly price charged by child care
  providers for full-day child care in each local workforce
  development area as stated in the market rate survey conducted
  under 45 C.F.R. Section 98.45(c);
               (5)  the average monthly price charged by quality child
  care providers for full-day child care in each local workforce
  development area;
               (6)  the poverty rate of each local workforce
  development area compared to the state's poverty rate;
               (7)  the number of children on waiting lists for child
  care in each local workforce development area;
               (8)  the number of places that are reserved by each
  local workforce development board in contracts authorized under
  Section 302.0461 for participants in the child-care subsidy program
  out of the total number of children enrolled with a provider on a
  full-time basis categorized by age of the child for each provider in
  each local workforce development area that is certified as a
  2-star, 3-star, or 4-star provider in the Texas Rising Star Program
  or that does not participate in the Texas Rising Star Program;
               (9)  the total number of child care providers
  participating in the Texas Rising Star Program in each local
  workforce development area and the number of 2-star, 3-star, and
  4-star rated child care providers in the local workforce
  development area;
               (10)  the number of child care providers participating
  in the Texas Rising Star Program in each local workforce
  development area as a percentage of the total number of both
  subsidized child care providers and all child care providers in the
  local workforce development area;
               (11)  the number of 2-star, 3-star, and 4-star rated
  child care providers in the local workforce development area as a
  percentage of the total number of both subsidized child care
  providers and all child care providers in the local workforce
  development area;
               (12)  the total number of children enrolled in
  subsidized child care providers participating in the Texas Rising
  Star Program in each local workforce development area and the
  number of subsidized children enrolled in 2-star, 3-star, and
  4-star rated child care providers in the local workforce
  development area; [and]
               (13)  the number of subsidized children enrolled in
  child care providers participating in the Texas Rising Star Program
  in each local workforce development area as a percentage of the
  total number of subsidized children enrolled in child care
  providers in the local workforce development area and the number of
  subsidized children enrolled in 2-star, 3-star, and 4-star rated
  child care providers in the local workforce development area as a
  percentage of the total number of subsidized children enrolled in
  child care providers in the local workforce development area; and
               (14)  the number of 3-star and 4-star rated child care
  providers participating in partnerships with public school
  districts and public charter schools based on data provided by the
  Texas Education Agency, as necessary.
         (c)  For the purposes of evaluation under this section, the
  commission shall annually update the information described by
  Subsections (b)(7)-(14) [(b)(7)-(13)].
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
  amended by adding Section 302.00436 to read as follows:
         Sec. 302.00436.  SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE PROGRAM: INFORMATION
  FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Each local workforce development board shall
  inform the local school districts and open-enrollment charter
  schools in the workforce development area regarding opportunities
  to partner with child-care providers in the board's area to expand
  access to and provide facilities for prekindergarten programs.
         SECTION 4.  Section 302.0461(d), Labor Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The commission shall determine the information that
  must be included in the report required by Subsection (c). A local
  workforce development board shall update the report required by
  Subsection (c) every 12 [six] months from the date the board submits
  its initial report to the commission.
         SECTION 5.  The Texas Workforce Commission and local
  workforce development boards are required to implement a provision
  of this Act only if federal money is available for that purpose and
  using the federal money for that purpose would not result in
  supplanting or decreasing existing funding for programs currently
  funded by the Texas Workforce Commission using available federal
  money under the Child Care Development Block Grant. If the state
  does not receive sufficient additional federal money under the
  Child Care Development Block Grant or other federal money to
  implement a provision of this Act, the commission and the boards
  may, but are not required to, implement a provision of this Act
  using other appropriations available for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2607 was passed by the House on April
  15, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 88, Nays 58, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 2607 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 88, Nays 58,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2607 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 25, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 27, Nays
  4.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor