Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB117 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		89R21576 MM-D
2	2		By: Schoolcraft H.B. No. 117
3		-
4		-
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 117:
	4	+	By: Buckley C.S.H.B. No. 117
5	5
6	6
7	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8		AN ACT
9	9		relating to the establishment of the governor's task force on the
10	10		governance of early childhood education and care.
11	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12		SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
13	13		by adding Chapter 455 to read as follows:
14	14		CHAPTER 455. GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE ON GOVERNANCE OF EARLY
15	15		CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
16	16		Sec. 455.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "task force"
17	17		means the governor's task force on the governance of early
18	18		childhood education and care established under this chapter.
19	19		Sec. 455.002. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The governor's task
20	20		force on the governance of early childhood education and care is
21	21		established to address the governance and operational challenges of
22	22		the early childhood education system in this state.
23	23		(b) The task force is administratively attached to the Texas
24	24		Education Agency.
25	25		Sec. 455.003. MEMBERS. (a) The task force shall include a
26	26		steering committee composed of the following members:
27	27		(1) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
28	28		Services Commission;
29	29		(2) the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency;
30	30		(3) the chair of the Texas Workforce Commission;
31	31		(4) relevant division directors designated by the
32	32		individuals described by Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3); and
33	33		(5) the Texas Education Agency's inter-agency deputy
34	34		director of early childhood support.
35	35		(b) The task force is composed of the following members:
36	36		(1) one public school teacher certified to teach
37	37		prekindergarten;
38	38		(2) one certified teacher who is employed by a private
39	39		child-care facility or prekindergarten program;
40	40		(3) a representative from the Texas Head Start State
41	41		Collaboration Office appointed by the governor;
42	42		(4) a representative from the Department of State
43	43		Health Services appointed by the governor;
44	44		(5) two representatives from the Texas Early Learning
45	45		Council designated by the steering committee described by
46	46		Subsection (a); and
47	47		(6) at least two but not more than five individuals
48	48		with knowledge of early childhood education and care or experience
49	49		as a direct operator of an early childhood education and care
50	50		program, including business and community leaders, representatives
51	51		of nonprofit organizations, and other relevant stakeholders,
52	52		appointed by the governor.
53	53		(c) The governor shall appoint the chair of the task force.
54	54		(d) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the size, composition, or
55	55		duration of the task force.
56	56		Sec. 455.004. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The task force shall:
57	57		(1) examine governance and operational challenges in
58	58		the early childhood education and care system, including federal
59	59		and local child-care programs and regulations governing those
60	60		programs;
61	61		(2) with a focus on improving government efficiency,
62	62		conduct a comprehensive review of the existing functions and
63	63		responsibilities of the Health and Human Services Commission, Texas
64	64		Education Agency, and Texas Workforce Commission related to early
65	65		childhood education and care; and
66	66		(3) consider methods for a large-scale redesign of the
67	67		administration of early childhood programs to improve efficiency,
68	68		service delivery, quality of care, and the efficient use of
69	69		funding.
70	70		(b) The steering committee of the task force shall:
71	71		(1) align goals and metrics of the Health and Human
72	72		Services Commission, Texas Education Agency, and Texas Workforce
73	73		Commission to measure progress, including aligning statewide data
74	74		systems; and
75	75		(2) require the Health and Human Services Commission,
76	76		Texas Education Agency, and Texas Workforce Commission to complete
77	77		and submit to the task force periodic progress reports and
78	78		regularly refine statewide goals and strategic plans to ensure
79	79		alignment with evolving early childhood education and care needs.
80	80		(c) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the
81	81		purpose, the Texas Education Agency shall pay the costs of data
82	82		system integration, research, and administration for the task
83	83		force.
84	84		Sec. 455.005. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the
85	85		task force shall develop and submit to the legislature policy and
86	86		budget recommendations designed to improve early childhood
87	87		education and care governance that will:
88	88		(1) facilitate and improve early childhood education
89	89		and care participant engagement with state agencies; and
90	90		(2) lead to improved operational efficiency,
91	91		increased affordable child care capacity, and improved
92	92		kindergarten readiness.
93	93		Sec. 455.006. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and
94	94		this chapter expires September 1, 2027.
95	95		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
96	96		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
97	97		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
98	98		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
99	99		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.