HBA-SEP C.S.H.B. 2673 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2673
By: Villarreal, Mike
Economic Development
4/22/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Federal law requires a state that receives child care and development block
grant funds for a fiscal year to set aside not less than four percent of
the funds for activities that are designed to provide comprehensive
consumer education to parents and the general public, activities that
increase parental choice, and activities designed to improve the quality
and availability of child care such as resource and referral services.
However, there is little accounting for the majority of allocated funds
because it is spent by local workforce development boards rather than at
the state level.  C.S.H.B. 2673 requires the Texas Workforce Commission
(TWC) to collect and assess state and local information relating to the
effectiveness of the use of four percent quality dollars by local workforce
development boards. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2673 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce
Commission (TWC) to collect state and local information relating to the
effectiveness of the use of four percent quality dollars by local workforce
development boards (boards).  TWC is also required to produce a report that
highlights promising practices in expanding quality early education and to
report to the legislature and other interested persons on local programs
and services that show promise in expanding access to quality early
education.  
EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. modifies the original to specify that the Texas Workforce
Commission (TWC) is required to collect state and local information
relating to the effectiveness of the use of four percent quality dollars by
local workforce development boards (boards) rather than the workforce
development services provided in this state.  The substitute removes the
provision that required TWC  to assess the information collected and
evaluate the effectiveness of the services, with particular emphasis on the
extent to which boards are spending money allocated to the boards on
quality programs.  The substitute provides that TWC is required to produce
a report that highlights promising practices in expanding quality early
education.