Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB818 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R9386 MCK-F
2	2	By: Watson S.B. No. 818
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to nutrition and fitness standards for certain child-care
8	8	facilities and training for employees at those facilities.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 42.042, Human Resources Code, is amended
11	11	by adding Subsections (s), (t), and (u) to read as follows:
12	12	(s) The executive commissioner by rule shall adopt minimum
13	13	standards that apply to day-care centers, group day-care homes, and
14	14	family homes for nutrition and daily dietary requirements, physical
15	15	activity, and time spent using or viewing electronic devices. The
16	16	minimum standards under this subsection must be consistent with:
17	17	(1) the nutrition and meal pattern standards in the
18	18	Child and Adult Care Food Program administered by the Texas
19	19	Department of Agriculture; and
20	20	(2) American Academy of Pediatrics standards for
21	21	physical activity and screen time as published in Caring for Our
22	22	Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards;
23	23	Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition.
24	24	(t) The executive commissioner shall review any subsequent
25	25	amendments to the standards described by Subsection (s) and
26	26	determine whether the rules adopted under that subsection should be
27	27	amended to incorporate the new standards.
28	28	(u) The executive commissioner by rule shall require
29	29	day-care centers, group day-care homes, and family homes to provide
30	30	to parents, guardians, or caregivers of children enrolled at the
31	31	facility information on:
32	32	(1) sample healthy meals and snacks; and
33	33	(2) food allergies and choking hazards.
34	34	SECTION 2. Section 42.0421(a), Human Resources Code, is
35	35	amended to read as follows:
36	36	(a) The minimum training standards prescribed by the
37	37	executive commissioner under Section 42.042(p) for an employee,
38	38	director, or operator of a day-care center, group day-care home, or
39	39	registered family home must include:
40	40	(1) 24 hours of initial training that must be
41	41	completed not later than the 90th day after the employee's first day
42	42	of employment for an employee of a day-care center who has no
43	43	previous training or less than two years of employment experience
44	44	in a regulated child-care facility, eight hours of which must be
45	45	completed before the employee is given responsibility for a group
46	46	of children;
47	47	(2) 24 hours of annual training for each employee of a
48	48	day-care center or group day-care home, excluding the director,
49	49	which must include at least six hours of training in one or more of
50	50	the following areas:
51	51	(A) child growth and development;
52	52	(B) guidance and discipline;
53	53	(C) age-appropriate curriculum; [and]
54	54	(D) teacher-child interaction; and
55	55	(E) child nutrition and age-appropriate indoor
56	56	and outdoor activities; and
57	57	(3) 30 hours of annual training for each director of a
58	58	day-care center or group day-care home, or operator of a registered
59	59	family home, which must include at least six hours of training in
60	60	one or more of the following areas:
61	61	(A) child growth and development;
62	62	(B) guidance and discipline;
63	63	(C) age-appropriate curriculum; [and]
64	64	(D) teacher-child interaction; and
65	65	(E) child nutrition and age-appropriate indoor
66	66	and outdoor activities.
67	67	SECTION 3. Section 2308.3155(b), Government Code, is
68	68	amended to read as follows:
69	69	(b) The commission shall adopt rules to administer the Texas
70	70	Rising Star Program, including:
71	71	(1) guidelines for rating a child-care provider who
72	72	provides child care to a child younger than 13 years of age,
73	73	including infants and toddlers, enrolled in the subsidized program;
74	74	[and]
75	75	(2) guidelines for rating a child-care provider on:
76	76	(A) nutrition, lunch provision, and menu
77	77	planning; and
78	78	(B) indoor and outdoor activities;
79	79	(3) a scoring methodology that credits a provider for
80	80	participating in, and remaining in good standing with, the Child
81	81	and Adult Care Food Program administered by the Texas Department of
82	82	Agriculture; and
83	83	(4) a timeline and process for regularly reviewing and
84	84	updating the quality standards used to determine the rating system
85	85	that includes the commission's consideration of input from
86	86	interested parties regarding those standards.
87	87	SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
88	88	of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
89	89	Services Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt
90	90	the rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this
91	91	Act.
92	92	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.