87(R) HB 619 - Enrolled version - Bill Text
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AN ACT
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relating to developing a strategic plan to support the child-care |
 
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workforce. |
 
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             BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
 
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             SECTION  1.    Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
 
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amended by adding Section 302.0062 to read as follows: |
 
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             Sec.  302.0062.    STRATEGIC PLAN TO SUPPORT CHILD-CARE |
 
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WORKFORCE. (a) The commission shall prepare a strategic plan for |
 
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improving the quality of the infant, toddler, preschool, and |
 
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school-age child-care workforce in this state.  The strategic plan |
 
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must include: |
 
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                         (1)    recommendations for local workforce development |
 
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boards to improve, sustain, and support the child-care workforce; |
 
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                         (2)    recommendations for increasing compensation for |
 
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and reducing turnover of child-care workers; |
 
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                         (3)    recommendations for eliminating pay disparities |
 
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in the child-care workforce; |
 
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                         (4)    recommendations for increasing paid opportunities |
 
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for professional development and education for child-care workers, |
 
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including apprenticeships; |
 
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                         (5)    best practices from local workforce development |
 
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boards in this state and other programs designed to support |
 
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child-care workers; |
 
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                         (6)    recommendations for increasing participation in |
 
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the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System; |
 
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                         (7)    recommendations for public and private |
 
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institutions of higher education to: |
 
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                                     (A)    increase the use of articulation agreements |
 
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with school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; and |
 
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                                     (B)    assist in the education and training of |
 
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child-care workers; |
 
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                         (8)    specific recommendations for improving the infant |
 
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and toddler child-care workforce; and |
 
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                         (9)    a timeline and benchmarks for the commission and |
 
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local workforce development boards to implement recommendations |
 
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from the strategic plan. |
 
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             (b)    The commission shall convene a workgroup to assist the |
 
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commission in developing the plan. The workgroup shall include: |
 
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                         (1)    child-care providers; |
 
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                         (2)    community stakeholders; and |
 
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                         (3)    child-care workers. |
 
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             (c)    The commission shall use the following information in |
 
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creating the plan: |
 
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                         (1)    demographic data of child-care workers in this |
 
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state, including: |
 
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                                     (A)    the race, ethnicity, gender, and educational |
 
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attainment of child-care workers; and |
 
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                                     (B)    the ages of the children the worker serves; |
 
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                         (2)    compensation data for child-care workers |
 
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disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and educational |
 
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attainment; |
 
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                         (3)    the information described by Subdivisions (1) and |
 
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(2) for a representative sample set of child-care facilities in the |
 
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state; and |
 
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                         (4)    information provided by the workgroup established |
 
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under Subsection (b). |
 
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             (d)    The commission shall provide the strategic plan |
 
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prepared under this section to the governor, the lieutenant |
 
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governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives. |
 
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             (e)    The commission shall update the strategic plan prepared |
 
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under this section every three years. |
 
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             SECTION  2.    Not later than December 31, 2022, the Texas |
 
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Workforce Commission shall make the strategic plan required by |
 
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Section 302.0062, Labor Code, as added by this Act, available to the |
 
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governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
 
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representatives. |
 
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             SECTION  3.    This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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     President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House           |
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             I certify that H.B. No. 619 was passed by the House on April |
 
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20, 2021, by the following vote:    Yeas 91, Nays 54, 1 present, not |
 
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