BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 2903 By: Davis, Sarah (Garcia) Health & Human Services 5/18/2015 Engrossed
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 2903
By: Davis, Sarah (Garcia)
Health & Human Services
5/18/2015
Engrossed
Senate Research Center
H.B. 2903
By: Davis, Sarah (Garcia)
Health & Human Services
5/18/2015
Engrossed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Thousands of Texas children under the age of five are cared for in a child-care setting while their parents work. For those children, their relationship with child-care workers is crucial in their development, as they spend the majority of their day with those employees. Since we now know that 90 percent of brain development happens between the ages of 0 and 5, it is critically important that daycare workers receive the best training possible to care for our most vulnerable Texans. H.B. 2903 would increase initial training hours for daycare workers and focus annual training to core areas of development, like teacher-child interaction. By increasing training and concentrating on outcomes-based material, employees will be better equipped to handle the challenges they face in their workplace and better prepare children for pre-kindergarten and elementary school. H.B. 2903 amends current law relating to training requirements for certain child-care workers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.0421, Human Resources Code, as amended S.B. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, by amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), and (j), as follows: (a) Requires that the minimum training standards prescribed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (executive commissioner) under Section 42.042(p) (requiring the Department of Family and Protective Services to prescribe minimum training standards for an employee of a regulated child-care facility) for an employee, director, or operator of a day-care center, group day-care home, or registered family home include: (1) 48 hours of initial training for an employee of a day-care center who has no previous training or less than two years of employment experience in a regulated child-care facility subject to the following requirements: (A) the employee is required to complete the initial training not later than the first anniversary of the employee's first day of employment; (B) the employee is required to complete at least 32 hours of the initial training not later than the 90th day after the employee's first day of employment; and (C) the employee is required to complete at least 16 hours of the initial training before the employee is given responsibility for a group of children; (2) 24 hours of annual training for each employee of a day-care center or group day-care home who has completed the initial training required by Subdivision (1), excluding the director, which must include at least six hours of training in one or more of certain areas. Makes nonsubstantive changes; (3) Makes no change to this subdivision. Deletes existing text requiring that the minimum training standards prescribed by the executive commissioner under Section 42.042(p) for an employee, director, or operator of a day-care center, group day-care home, or registered family home include 24 hours of initial training that is required to be completed not later than the 90th day after the employee's first day of employment for an employee of a day-care center who has no previous training or less than two years of employment experience in a regulated child-care facility, eight hours of which is required to be completed before the employee is given responsibility for a group of children. (a-1) Provides that the minimum training standards prescribed under Subsection (a) do not apply to an employee of a day-care center that is accredited by a national organization or that is recognized by the Texas Rising Star provider certification program as a four-star provider. (a-2) Requires that thirty hours of the initial training required under Subsection (a)(1), and the 12 hours of annual training required under Subsections (a)(2)(A) and (B) be provided by a person who meets at least one of the qualifications listed under Subsection (f)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (7) (relating to the training required by this section that is provided by a person who meets certain enumerated qualifications). (f) Requires that the training required by this section be appropriately targeted and relevant to the age of the children who will receive care from the individual receiving training and be provided by a person who holds a generally recognized credential, rather than who holds a generally recognized credential or possess documented knowledge, relevant to the training the person will provide. (j) Provides that the training required by this section may be provided in person or online. SECTION 2. Provides that Section 42.0421(a), Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to an employee who is initially employed by a day-care center on or after the effective date of this Act. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Thousands of Texas children under the age of five are cared for in a child-care setting while their parents work. For those children, their relationship with child-care workers is crucial in their development, as they spend the majority of their day with those employees. Since we now know that 90 percent of brain development happens between the ages of 0 and 5, it is critically important that daycare workers receive the best training possible to care for our most vulnerable Texans.
H.B. 2903 would increase initial training hours for daycare workers and focus annual training to core areas of development, like teacher-child interaction. By increasing training and concentrating on outcomes-based material, employees will be better equipped to handle the challenges they face in their workplace and better prepare children for pre-kindergarten and elementary school.
H.B. 2903 amends current law relating to training requirements for certain child-care workers.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.0421, Human Resources Code, as amended S.B. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, by amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), and (j), as follows:
(a) Requires that the minimum training standards prescribed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (executive commissioner) under Section 42.042(p) (requiring the Department of Family and Protective Services to prescribe minimum training standards for an employee of a regulated child-care facility) for an employee, director, or operator of a day-care center, group day-care home, or registered family home include:
(1) 48 hours of initial training for an employee of a day-care center who has no previous training or less than two years of employment experience in a regulated child-care facility subject to the following requirements:
(A) the employee is required to complete the initial training not later than the first anniversary of the employee's first day of employment;
(B) the employee is required to complete at least 32 hours of the initial training not later than the 90th day after the employee's first day of employment; and
(C) the employee is required to complete at least 16 hours of the initial training before the employee is given responsibility for a group of children;
(2) 24 hours of annual training for each employee of a day-care center or group day-care home who has completed the initial training required by Subdivision (1), excluding the director, which must include at least six hours of training in one or more of certain areas. Makes nonsubstantive changes;
(3) Makes no change to this subdivision.
Deletes existing text requiring that the minimum training standards prescribed by the executive commissioner under Section 42.042(p) for an employee, director, or operator of a day-care center, group day-care home, or registered family home include 24 hours of initial training that is required to be completed not later than the 90th day after the employee's first day of employment for an employee of a day-care center who has no previous training or less than two years of employment experience in a regulated child-care facility, eight hours of which is required to be completed before the employee is given responsibility for a group of children.
(a-1) Provides that the minimum training standards prescribed under Subsection (a) do not apply to an employee of a day-care center that is accredited by a national organization or that is recognized by the Texas Rising Star provider certification program as a four-star provider.
(a-2) Requires that thirty hours of the initial training required under Subsection (a)(1), and the 12 hours of annual training required under Subsections (a)(2)(A) and (B) be provided by a person who meets at least one of the qualifications listed under Subsection (f)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (7) (relating to the training required by this section that is provided by a person who meets certain enumerated qualifications).
(f) Requires that the training required by this section be appropriately targeted and relevant to the age of the children who will receive care from the individual receiving training and be provided by a person who holds a generally recognized credential, rather than who holds a generally recognized credential or possess documented knowledge, relevant to the training the person will provide.
(j) Provides that the training required by this section may be provided in person or online.
SECTION 2. Provides that Section 42.0421(a), Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to an employee who is initially employed by a day-care center on or after the effective date of this Act. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.