86R11474 EAS-D
By: Goldman H.B. No. 3739
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to including certain child care providers in the Texas
Rising Star Program and establishing a pilot program to expand
participation in the Texas Rising Star Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2308.3155, Government Code, is amended
by amending Subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
(a) The Texas Rising Star Program is a [voluntary,]
quality-based child care rating and quality improvement system of
child care providers licensed by or registered with the Health and
Human Services Commission [participating in the commission's
subsidized child care program].
(b) The commission shall adopt rules to administer the Texas
Rising Star Program, including:
(1) guidelines for rating a child-care provider who
provides child care to a child younger than 13 years of age,
including infants and toddlers[, enrolled in the subsidized
program]; and
(2) a timeline and process for regularly reviewing and
updating the quality standards used to determine the rating system
that includes the commission's consideration of input from
interested parties regarding those standards.
SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 2308, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 2308.3157 to read as follows:
Sec. 2308.3157. TEXAS RISING STAR PROGRAM PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) A local workforce development board may operate a pilot program
in the area in which the board operates to increase the number of
quality child-care providers in the area. A pilot program under
this section must increase participation in the Texas Rising Star
Program by:
(1) allowing all licensed and registered child-care
facilities in the local workforce development area to participate
in the Texas Rising Star Program;
(2) requiring all subsidized child-care providers in
the local workforce development area to participate in the Texas
Rising Star Program;
(3) allowing the local workforce development board to
contract with subsidized child-care providers operating in the
board's area and participating in the Texas Rising Star Program to
provide child-care services; or
(4) a combination of the methods described in
Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3).
(b) Each local workforce development board participating in
a pilot program must:
(1) provide quality improvement support and resources
to participating child-care providers; and
(2) give priority to child-care providers that:
(A) operate in an area with a higher poverty rate
than the state's average poverty rate; or
(B) primarily serve low-income families.
(c) A local workforce development board is not required to
participate in a pilot program authorized by this section.
(d) Not later than 18 months after the date a local
workforce development board begins a pilot program authorized by
this section, the board shall submit a report to the commission and
the governor's Texas Early Learning Council that includes:
(1) a summary of each local workforce development
board's evaluation of the results of the board's pilot program; and
(2) a recommendation regarding the method for
implementing the pilot program and expanding the program to other
local workforce development boards.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.