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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of child care. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) The Health and Human Services Commission |
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shall work with the Texas Workforce Commission and local workforce |
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development boards to increase the availability and accessibility |
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of quality child care in this state. The Health and Human Services |
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Commission shall focus on areas of the state where the number of |
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individuals needing child care exceeds the number of available |
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openings with child care providers in the area. |
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(b) The Health and Human Services Commission shall educate |
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families regarding: |
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(1) the full range of child care options available in |
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the state; |
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(2) child care subsidy programs and the eligibility |
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requirements for those programs; and |
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(3) the application process and eligibility |
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requirements for child care providers, including waitlist |
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protocols, locations, schedules, costs, curricula, languages, |
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class sizes, safety guidelines, and supports to best meet their |
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needs. |
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(c) The Health and Human Services Commission shall study: |
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(1) the effects of the 2019 novel coronavirus |
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(COVID-19) on child-care facility operating costs; and |
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(2) the impact of child-care facility closures, |
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reductions in days or hours of operation, reductions in number of |
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children provided care, and fears about safety on individuals who |
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rely on the child-care facilities to allow the individuals to work. |
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(d) The Health and Human Services Commission shall: |
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(1) review sustainable financing options available |
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for safe, quality child care, including community development block |
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grant disaster recovery money authorized by federal law and federal |
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Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant funds; |
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(2) develop ways to increase child care resources and |
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facilities, especially in marginalized and underserved |
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communities; |
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(3) address the unequal access to child care among |
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ethnic groups; |
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(4) develop incentives for child care providers who |
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serve families of color, non-English speakers, and regions with an |
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insufficient supply of child care options, including priority in |
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awarding federal or state stimulus grants or technical assistance; |
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(5) expand support for child care workers and early |
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childhood educators who serve marginalized and underserved |
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communities; |
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(6) consider child care options for parents working |
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nontraditional hours; |
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(7) create a directory of all licensed, registered, |
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and listed child care providers and make the directory available to |
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the public: |
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(A) on the commission's Internet website; and |
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(B) in a printed format; |
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(8) determine effective methods for disseminating |
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information about child care resources, including through |
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libraries, home visiting programs, health clinics, and |
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community-based organizations; |
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(9) collect data and conduct research on the barriers |
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to enrollment in child care programs and the impact the barriers |
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have on the ability of families to obtain child care; |
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(10) develop ways to ensure the child care workforce, |
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including child care providers and early childhood educators, |
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receive fair and competitive compensation and benefits including |
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health insurance; |
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(11) consider incentivizing ongoing quality |
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improvements and updated trainings for child care providers; |
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(12) expand child care subsidy programs, including |
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income eligibility for subsidies and tax credits; and |
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(13) improve the coordination between child care |
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resource and referral agencies and local child care providers. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |