Bill Text: TX HB940 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the private child care task force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-15 - Referred to Health & Human Services [HB940 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB940-Engrossed.html
By: Dutton | H.B. No. 940 |
|
||
|
||
relating to the establishment of the private child care task force. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "task force" means the | ||
private child care task force. | ||
(b) The private child care task force is established to | ||
study private child care providers in this state and methods to: | ||
(1) reduce the amounts charged for high-quality child | ||
care provided by private child care providers; | ||
(2) increase the availability of high-quality child | ||
care provided by private child care providers; | ||
(3) address issues with wait lists for scholarships to | ||
receive high-quality child care; and | ||
(4) increase the number of families who are able to | ||
receive high-quality child care. | ||
(c) The task force is composed of seven members appointed as | ||
follows: | ||
(1) one member appointed by the governor to represent | ||
the governor; | ||
(2) three members of the senate, appointed by the | ||
lieutenant governor; and | ||
(3) three members of the house of representatives, | ||
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. | ||
(d) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for | ||
service on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement for | ||
actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing task force | ||
duties. The task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations to | ||
pay for those expenses. | ||
(e) The member appointed by the governor shall serve as the | ||
presiding officer of the task force. | ||
(f) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call | ||
of the presiding officer. | ||
(g) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any | ||
other law, the task force may meet by telephone conference call, | ||
videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method. A | ||
meeting held by telephone conference call, videoconference, or | ||
other similar telecommunication method is subject to the | ||
requirements of Sections 551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government | ||
Code. | ||
(h) The task force shall conduct a study to examine: | ||
(1) the amounts charged for high-quality child care | ||
provided by private child care providers; | ||
(2) the availability of high-quality child care | ||
provided by private child care providers; | ||
(3) wait lists for scholarships to receive | ||
high-quality child care; | ||
(4) methods to reduce the cost to families and | ||
increase the availability of high-quality child care; | ||
(5) strategies to increase the number of | ||
prekindergarten partnerships between independent school districts | ||
and high-quality child care programs; and | ||
(6) methods to strengthen the child care industry. | ||
(i) The task force may request relevant information from the | ||
Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Workforce | ||
Commission, and the Texas Education Agency, and the entity | ||
receiving the request shall comply with the request. | ||
(j) The task force shall develop recommendations to reduce | ||
the amounts charged for and increase the availability of | ||
high-quality child care by private child care providers and of | ||
prekindergarten partnerships. | ||
(k) The task force shall develop and submit a written report | ||
on the study and recommendations developed by the task force to the | ||
governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of | ||
representatives, and each member of the legislature not later than | ||
November 1, 2024. | ||
(l) The task force is abolished and this Act expires June 1, | ||
2024. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |