Texas Senate Bill SB2469

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/13/25

Caption

Relating to the regulation of certain day-care centers.

Impact

The bill establishes a registry of day-care violations, mandating that any identified violations by day-care employees be documented, along with details such as dates and descriptions. This registry will be accessible to day-care centers and homes, thereby promoting transparency. Moreover, the bill creates an appeal process where employees can contest the commission's findings regarding violations through administrative hearings, bolstering the rights of those working in these facilities to challenge determinations made against them.

Summary

SB2469 proposes amendments to the Human Resources Code, specifically focusing on the regulation of certain licensed day-care centers, group day-care homes, and family homes. The bill introduces provisions for monitoring inspections where representatives of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) review inspection outcomes with facility staff, allowing immediate corrective actions for minor violations that do not endanger children. This aim is to enhance the quality of child care while ensuring compliance with state regulations.

Contention

While the bill seeks to improve the regulatory framework for day-care centers, there may be concerns regarding the implications of a violation registry and the potential stigmatization of facilities found in violation. Critics may argue that such records could harm the reputation of day-care providers even for minor infractions that do not pose significant risks to child safety. Additionally, the enforcement and administrative hearing aspects could lead to an increased administrative burden on both HHSC and day-care centers.

Texas Constitutional Statutes Affected

Human Resources Code

• Chapter 42. Regulation Of Certain Facilities, Homes, And Agencies That Provide Child-care Services
  • Section: 0441
  • Section: New Section
  • Section: 0704