Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4153 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R13946 MM-F
2	2	By: Button H.B. No. 4153
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to strategies to increase the availability of child-care
8	8	and prekindergarten programs.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Sections 302.0051 and 302.0063 to read as
12	12	follows:
13	13	Sec. 302.0051. PREKINDERGARTEN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. (a)
14	14	The commission shall establish and administer a prekindergarten
15	15	partnership program to assist Texas Rising Star program providers
16	16	who meet the definition of an eligible private provider under
17	17	Section 29.171, Education Code, in partnering with local school
18	18	districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide the
19	19	prekindergarten classes required under Section 29.153, Education
20	20	Code.
21	21	(b) Using existing funds, the commission shall coordinate
22	22	with the Texas Education Agency to develop joint strategies to
23	23	expand the availability of prekindergarten partnership programs,
24	24	including by:
25	25	(1) establishing and maintaining a database of Texas
26	26	Rising Star program providers within the boundaries of each school
27	27	district and open-enrollment charter school;
28	28	(2) assisting in negotiating and administering
29	29	contracts between school districts or open-enrollment charter
30	30	schools, as applicable, and Texas Rising Star program providers to
31	31	provide prekindergarten classes; and
32	32	(3) annually establishing guidelines for funding
33	33	amounts per child to be provided by a school district or
34	34	open-enrollment charter school, as applicable, to a Texas Rising
35	35	Star program provider with which the district or charter school
36	36	partners to provide prekindergarten classes.
37	37	Sec. 302.0063. CHILD-CARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
38	38	SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "program" means the
39	39	professional development scholarship program established under
40	40	this section.
41	41	(b) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the commission
42	42	shall establish and administer a professional development
43	43	scholarship program for current and prospective child-care
44	44	workers.
45	45	(c) A scholarship under the program may be used to pay an
46	46	individual's costs related to:
47	47	(1) earning:
48	48	(A) a Child Development Associate (CDA)
49	49	credential; or
50	50	(B) an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in
51	51	early childhood education or another related field from a public or
52	52	private institution of higher education; and
53	53	(2) participation in a registered child-care
54	54	apprenticeship program.
55	55	(d) The program may be used to pay for other ancillary costs
56	56	for child-care workers who are enrolled in an educational program
57	57	or apprenticeship program described by Subsection (c), including:
58	58	(1) books and supplies;
59	59	(2) release time or stipends to attend classes;
60	60	(3) costs related to the examination for the Child
61	61	Development Associate (CDA) credential;
62	62	(4) travel to attend classes or attend a hands-on
63	63	practicum training; and
64	64	(5) stipends for mentors or master teachers who
65	65	provide hands-on training at a child-care program.
66	66	SECTION 2. Section 2308.256(a), Government Code, is amended
67	67	to read as follows:
68	68	(a) A board is composed as follows:
69	69	(1) representatives of the private sector, who:
70	70	(A) constitute a majority of the membership of
71	71	the board; and
72	72	(B) are owners of business concerns, chief
73	73	executives or chief operating officers of nongovernmental
74	74	employers, or other private sector executives who have substantial
75	75	management or policy responsibilities;
76	76	(2) representatives of organized labor and
77	77	community-based organizations, who constitute not less than 15
78	78	percent of the membership of the board; and
79	79	(3) representatives of each of the following:
80	80	(A) educational agencies, including community
81	81	colleges and secondary and postsecondary practitioners
82	82	representing vocational education, that are representative of all
83	83	educational agencies in the service delivery area;
84	84	(B) vocational rehabilitation agencies;
85	85	(C) public assistance agencies;
86	86	(D) economic development agencies;
87	87	(E) the public employment service;
88	88	(F) local literacy councils; [and]
89	89	(G) adult basic and continuing education
90	90	organizations; and
91	91	(H) the child-care workforce.
92	92	SECTION 3. Section 2308.256(g), Government Code, is
93	93	repealed.
94	94	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.