| 1 | 1 | | 88R14342 ANG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bernal H.B. No. 4744 |
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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 establishing a program to allow certain child-care |
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| 8 | 8 | | providers to provide free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch |
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| 9 | 9 | | meals. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 302.00437 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 302.00437. EARLY CHILDHOOD BREAKFAST AND LUNCH GRANT |
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| 14 | 14 | | PROGRAM. (a) In this section: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) "Child-care provider" means a day-care center or a |
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| 16 | 16 | | group day-care home licensed under Chapter 42, Human Resources |
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| 17 | 17 | | Code, or a family home registered under Chapter 42, Human Resources |
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| 18 | 18 | | Code. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) "Eligible child" means a child who: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) is eligible for services from a federal Head |
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| 21 | 21 | | Start or Early Head Start program; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (B) receives subsidized child-care services; or |
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| 23 | 23 | | (C) except for the child's age, meets a |
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| 24 | 24 | | requirement of Section 29.153(b), Education Code. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) "Eligible meal" means a breakfast or lunch that |
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| 26 | 26 | | meets the nutritional requirements for: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (A) the national school breakfast program as |
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| 28 | 28 | | provided by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. Section |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1773); or |
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| 30 | 30 | | (B) the national school lunch program of free or |
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| 31 | 31 | | reduced-price lunches under 7 C.F.R. Section 210.10 or a successor |
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| 32 | 32 | | regulation. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (4) "Program" means the early childhood breakfast and |
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| 34 | 34 | | lunch grant program established under this section. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b) The commission shall establish the early childhood |
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| 36 | 36 | | breakfast and lunch grant program to award grants to child-care |
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| 37 | 37 | | providers to provide eligible meals to eligible children for free |
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| 38 | 38 | | or at a reduced cost. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (c) A child-care provider may elect to participate in the |
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| 40 | 40 | | program. A child-care provider participating in the program shall |
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| 41 | 41 | | offer eligible meals without charge or at a reduced cost to each |
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| 42 | 42 | | eligible enrolled child. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the commission |
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| 44 | 44 | | shall provide grants to reimburse child-care providers that |
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| 45 | 45 | | participate in the program for costs related to providing meals |
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| 46 | 46 | | under Subsection (c) in an amount established by the commission |
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| 47 | 47 | | that ensures each participating child-care provider is able to |
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| 48 | 48 | | receive a grant. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (e) The commission shall adopt rules to implement this |
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| 50 | 50 | | section, including rules regarding the eligibility criteria for |
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| 51 | 51 | | receiving a grant and the process for awarding a grant under this |
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| 52 | 52 | | section. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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