Bill Text: TX HB1615 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to strategies to increase the availability of child-care and prekindergarten programs.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-5)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-09 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB1615 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB1615-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 1615 | ||
|
|
||
| relating to strategies to increase the availability of child-care | ||
| and prekindergarten programs. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 302.0051 and 302.0063 to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| Sec. 302.0051. PREKINDERGARTEN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. (a) | ||
| The commission shall establish and administer a prekindergarten | ||
| partnership program to assist child-care providers who meet the | ||
| definition of an eligible private provider under Section 29.171, | ||
| Education Code, in partnering with local school districts and | ||
| open-enrollment charter schools to provide the prekindergarten | ||
| classes required under Section 29.153, Education Code. | ||
| (b) Using existing funds, the commission shall coordinate | ||
| with the Texas Education Agency to develop joint strategies to | ||
| expand the availability of prekindergarten partnership programs. | ||
| Sec. 302.0063. CHILD-CARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | ||
| SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "program" means the | ||
| professional development scholarship program established under | ||
| this section. | ||
| (b) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the commission | ||
| shall establish and administer a professional development | ||
| scholarship program for current and prospective child-care | ||
| workers. | ||
| (c) A scholarship under the program may be used to pay an | ||
| individual's costs related to: | ||
| (1) earning: | ||
| (A) a Child Development Associate (CDA) | ||
| credential; or | ||
| (B) an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in | ||
| early childhood education or another related field from a public or | ||
| private institution of higher education; and | ||
| (2) participation in a registered child-care | ||
| apprenticeship program. | ||
| (d) The program may be used to pay for other ancillary costs | ||
| for child-care workers who are enrolled in an educational program | ||
| or apprenticeship program described by Subsection (c), including: | ||
| (1) books and supplies; | ||
| (2) release time or stipends to attend classes; | ||
| (3) costs related to the examination for the Child | ||
| Development Associate (CDA) credential; | ||
| (4) travel to attend classes or attend a hands-on | ||
| practicum training; and | ||
| (5) stipends for mentors or master teachers who | ||
| provide hands-on training at a child-care program. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 2308.256(a), Government Code, is amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| (a) A board is composed as follows: | ||
| (1) representatives of the private sector, who: | ||
| (A) constitute a majority of the membership of | ||
| the board; and | ||
| (B) are owners of business concerns, chief | ||
| executives or chief operating officers of nongovernmental | ||
| employers, or other private sector executives who have substantial | ||
| management or policy responsibilities; | ||
| (2) representatives of organized labor and | ||
| community-based organizations, who constitute not less than 15 | ||
| percent of the membership of the board; and | ||
| (3) representatives of each of the following: | ||
| (A) educational agencies, including community | ||
| colleges and secondary and postsecondary practitioners | ||
| representing vocational education, that are representative of all | ||
| educational agencies in the service delivery area; | ||
| (B) vocational rehabilitation agencies; | ||
| (C) public assistance agencies; | ||
| (D) economic development agencies; | ||
| (E) the public employment service; | ||
| (F) local literacy councils; [ |
||
| (G) adult basic and continuing education | ||
| organizations; and | ||
| (H) the child-care workforce. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 2308.256(g), Government Code, is | ||
| repealed. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 1615 was passed by the House on April | ||
| 13, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 21, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 1615 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 17, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
