| 1 | 1 | | 85R144 YDB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Farrar H.B. No. 751 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to state agency authority to establish child-care subsidy |
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| 8 | 8 | | programs. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 659, Government Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 659.062 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 659.062. CHILD-CARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM. (a) A state |
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| 13 | 13 | | agency using money appropriated to the agency by this state may |
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| 14 | 14 | | establish a child-care subsidy program to assist the agency's lower |
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| 15 | 15 | | income employees with their child-care costs. The assistance may be |
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| 16 | 16 | | provided for full-time and part-time child care, before-school and |
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| 17 | 17 | | after-school programs, and daytime summer programs. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) Two or more state agencies in a multitenant building may |
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| 19 | 19 | | establish a child-care subsidy program and share the program costs |
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| 20 | 20 | | to provide employees of the agencies with child-care services |
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| 21 | 21 | | through a child-care facility located in the building. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a state agency may |
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| 23 | 23 | | impose restrictions on the use of appropriated money for its |
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| 24 | 24 | | child-care subsidy program based on employees' needs, the agency's |
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| 25 | 25 | | staffing requirements, the local availability of child care, and |
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| 26 | 26 | | other factors determined by the agency, including eligibility |
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| 27 | 27 | | restrictions based on an employee's: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) full-time or part-time employment status; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) use of an on-site child-care facility; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) use of full-time child care; or |
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| 31 | 31 | | (4) use of child care in limited locations. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (d) A state agency that establishes a child-care subsidy |
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| 33 | 33 | | program under this section: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) shall give preference for the payment of subsidies |
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| 35 | 35 | | to agency employees who are veterans and who meet the program |
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| 36 | 36 | | participation requirements under this section and agency rules; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) may not limit the payment of subsidies to only |
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| 38 | 38 | | child-care facilities licensed by this state under Chapter 42, |
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| 39 | 39 | | Human Resources Code. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (e) Subject to any restriction established under Subsection |
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| 41 | 41 | | (c) and any preference provided under Subsection (d)(1), an |
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| 42 | 42 | | employee who qualifies as a lower income employee under a state |
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| 43 | 43 | | agency's child-care subsidy program is eligible to receive a |
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| 44 | 44 | | child-care subsidy for the care of each child under 13 years of age |
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| 45 | 45 | | or, for a child with a disability, under 18 years of age. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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