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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the regulation of and federal funding for certain |
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child-care providers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 42.0221, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections |
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(e-1), (e-2), and (e-3) to read as follows: |
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(a) The committee on licensing standards is composed of nine |
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[seven] members appointed by the governor as follows: |
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(1) one member who operates a residential child-care |
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facility licensed by the department; |
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(2) one member who operates a child-placing agency |
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licensed by the department; |
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(3) one member who operates a licensed child-care |
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facility that provides care for children for less than 24 hours a |
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day; |
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(4) one member who is a parent, guardian, or custodian |
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of a child who uses a facility licensed by the department; |
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(5) one member who is an expert in the field of child |
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care and child development; [and] |
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(6) two members employed by the department who work |
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with facilities licensed by the department; and |
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(7) two members who represent child advocacy |
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organizations. |
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(b) Members of the committee serve two-year terms, with the |
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terms of [three or] four or five members, as appropriate, expiring |
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February 1 of each year. |
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(e-1) The committee shall review and analyze nationwide |
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best practices of child-care providers and other state standards |
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related to staff-to-child ratios and group sizes applicable to |
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nonresidential child-care facilities that provide care for less |
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than 24 hours a day and make recommendations to the department for |
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policy and statutory changes related to the ratios and group sizes. |
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(e-2) From the recommendations provided under Subsection |
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(e-1), the department shall annually reduce the staff-to-child |
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ratios and group sizes applicable to nonresidential child-care |
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facilities that provide care for less than 24 hours a day subject to |
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the following limitations: |
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(1) the reduced ratios and group sizes may not be |
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higher than the ratios and group sizes in the department's proposed |
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rules published in the Texas Register on June 11, 2010; |
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(2) ratios may not be reduced by more than three |
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children per each age group; and |
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(3) the staff-to-child ratios for children ages 17 |
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months of age and younger may not be reduced. |
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(e-3) Subsection (e-2) and this subsection expire September |
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1, 2022. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2017, the governor |
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shall appoint the nine members to the committee on licensing |
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standards as provided by Section 42.0221, Human Resources Code, as |
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amended by this Act. The initial members of the committee on |
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licensing standards appointed under this section shall draw lots to |
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determine which members will serve terms expiring February 1, 2018, |
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and which members will serve terms expiring February 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |