By: Raymond H.B. No. 3205
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of and federal funding for certain
child-care providers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 42.0221, Human Resources Code, is
amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections
(e-1), (e-2), and (e-3) to read as follows:
(a) The committee on licensing standards is composed of nine
[seven] members appointed by the governor as follows:
(1) one member who operates a residential child-care
facility licensed by the department;
(2) one member who operates a child-placing agency
licensed by the department;
(3) one member who operates a licensed child-care
facility that provides care for children for less than 24 hours a
day;
(4) one member who is a parent, guardian, or custodian
of a child who uses a facility licensed by the department;
(5) one member who is an expert in the field of child
care and child development; [and]
(6) two members employed by the department who work
with facilities licensed by the department; and
(7) two members who represent child advocacy
organizations.
(b) Members of the committee serve two-year terms, with the
terms of [three or] four or five members, as appropriate, expiring
February 1 of each year.
(e-1) The committee shall review and analyze nationwide
best practices of child-care providers and other state standards
related to staff-to-child ratios and group sizes applicable to
nonresidential child-care facilities that provide care for less
than 24 hours a day and make recommendations to the department for
policy and statutory changes related to the ratios and group sizes.
(e-2) From the recommendations provided under Subsection
(e-1), the department shall annually reduce the staff-to-child
ratios and group sizes applicable to nonresidential child-care
facilities that provide care for less than 24 hours a day subject to
the following limitations:
(1) the reduced ratios and group sizes may not be
higher than the ratios and group sizes in the department's proposed
rules published in the Texas Register on June 11, 2010;
(2) ratios may not be reduced by more than three
children per each age group; and
(3) the staff-to-child ratios for children ages 17
months of age and younger may not be reduced.
(e-3) Subsection (e-2) and this subsection expire September
1, 2022.
SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2017, the governor
shall appoint the nine members to the committee on licensing
standards as provided by Section 42.0221, Human Resources Code, as
amended by this Act. The initial members of the committee on
licensing standards appointed under this section shall draw lots to
determine which members will serve terms expiring February 1, 2018,
and which members will serve terms expiring February 1, 2017.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.