85R6851 MK-F     By: Deshotel H.B. No. 3323       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the evaluation of and improvements to the quality of the   Texas Workforce Commission's subsidized child care program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 302.0042, Labor Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) 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 incurred by child care providers   in providing [of] child care in each local workforce development   area;                (4)  the average price charged by child care providers   for child care in each local workforce development area;                (5)  the poverty rate of each local workforce   development area compared to the state's poverty rate;                (6) [(5)]  the number of children on waiting lists for   child care in each local workforce development area; [and]                (7) [(6)]  the number of vacancies for full-time   program enrollment [vacant slots] available for child care   placement in each local workforce development area;                (8)  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;                (9)  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 child care   providers in the 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 as a percentage of the total number of   child care providers in the local workforce development area;                (10)  the total number of children enrolled in child   care providers participating in the Texas Rising Star Program in   each local workforce development area and the number of children   enrolled in 2-star, 3-star, and 4-star rated child care providers   in the local workforce development area; and                (11)  the number of 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 children enrolled in child care providers in the local   workforce development area and the number of 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   children enrolled in child care providers in the local workforce   development area.          (c)  For the purposes of evaluation under this section, the   commission shall annually conduct a survey in each local workforce   development area to determine:                (1)  the average cost incurred by child care providers   in providing child care in the area; and                (2)  the average price charged by child care providers   for child care in the area.          SECTION 2.  Section 302.0043, Labor Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsections (e) and (f) to   read as follows:          (c-1)  The commission shall measure and evaluate the   progress of the commission's child care program regarding:                (1)  coordination with the Texas Education Agency to   enable the submission of relevant data related to children younger   than five years of age enrolled in the commission's child care   program through the Public Education Information Management System   (PEIMS);                (2)  coordination with the Texas Education Agency,   school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools on any   prekindergarten quality improvement efforts;                (3)  facilitation of child care provider enrollment in   the Texas Rising Star Program and progression of providers to the   highest rating level in the program; and                (4)  development and implementation of rates and   payments, as determined by local workforce development boards, to   allow participating providers to provide high quality child care.          (e)  The commission shall make the information collected by   the commission and the commission's findings available to local   workforce development boards, school districts, open-enrollment   charter schools, and the public.          (f)  Not later than January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the   commission shall report to the legislature regarding the   commission's findings regarding the effectiveness of the   commission's child care program.  The report must:                (1)  include employment outcome information,   disaggregated by local workforce development area, regarding   parents receiving subsidized care under the program; [and]                (2)  identify multiyear trends in the information   collected and analyzed by the commission under this section,   including trends in the information for at least the five state   fiscal years preceding the date of the report;                (3)  include information described by Sections   302.0042(b)(8)-(11); and                (4)  evaluate the findings of the survey conducted   under Section 302.0042(c).          SECTION 3.  Section 302.00435, Labor Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 302.00435.  SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE PROGRAM; INPUT   POLICY.  (a)  The commission shall develop a policy for obtaining,   through appropriate methods, input from interested parties   regarding its subsidized child care program and for using that   input in administering that program.          (b)  The policy developed under Subsection (a) must include   methods for obtaining input from the Texas Education Agency, school   districts, open-enrollment charter schools, relevant businesses,   and the public, regarding:                (1)  improving coordination between the subsidized   child care program and prekindergarten programs; and                (2)  increasing the quality of and access to the   subsidized child care program.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.