Relating to establishing a certified caregiver pilot program in the Borderplex workforce development area.
Impact
The bill stipulates that the local workforce development board will select 30 eligible single-parent families to participate in the program, which allows caregivers to provide child care in their homes. A key component also involves facilitating the licensing of caregivers with the requisite experience in licensed child-care facilities. This move is expected to increase the availability of licensed caregivers who can provide necessary after-hours care, thereby fostering workforce participation among single parents in the Borderplex area.
Summary
SB1249 introduces a certified caregiver pilot program in the Borderplex area of Texas, aiming to provide after-hours child care solutions for single-parent households with parents enrolled in a short-term workforce training program. This initiative is designed to address the specific needs of working single parents who often struggle to balance job commitments and child care responsibilities, especially during non-traditional hours. The bill emphasizes the importance of enabling these parents to improve their job skills and income potential while ensuring their children are cared for safely and effectively.
Contention
While proponents of SB1249 may argue that it strengthens the support structures for single-parent families and enhances workforce readiness, potential points of contention could arise regarding the sufficiency of funding for the pilot program and whether the newly established regulations could inadvertently lead to challenges in availability or quality of care. Concerns might also be voiced about the long-term sustainability of such a program after its pilot phase ends, given that the bill includes an expiration date set for September 1, 2029 and mandates a report to evaluate its efficacy by December 1, 2028.
Texas Constitutional Statutes Affected
Human Resources Code
Chapter 42. Regulation Of Certain Facilities, Homes, And Agencies That Provide Child-care Services
Relating to the workforce development evaluation system administered by the Texas Workforce Commission, including the establishment of a workforce development career education and training evaluation pilot program.
Relating to the establishment of the workforce housing capital investment fund program to fund the development of workforce housing in this state; authorizing a fee.
Relating to the establishment of the workforce housing capital investment fund program to fund the development of workforce housing in this state; authorizing a fee.
Relating to authorizing the establishment of community child-care collaboratives and establishing a grant program for those collaboratives administered by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Relating to the creation of a task force to develop a plan for the consolidation of the functions of workforce development programs administered by the Texas Workforce Commission and social services programs administered by the Health and Human Services Commission.
Relating to the creation of the Texas Empowerment Account pilot program for assisting certain recipients of public benefits in achieving self-sufficiency.