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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the collection and reporting of child safety data in |
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certain child-care facilities and establishing child safety |
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standards in those facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 42.042, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (m-1) to read as follows: |
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(m-1) The commissioner shall: |
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(1) use the data collected under Section 42.04211 to |
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determine: |
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(A) the variables that negatively impact child |
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safety; and |
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(B) the standards necessary to reduce the risk |
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factors to children receiving care in nonresidential child-care |
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facilities that provide care for less than 24 hours a day; |
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(2) establish standards, including staff-to-child |
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ratios, to maximize child safety in nonresidential child-care |
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facilities that provide care for less than 24 hours a day; and |
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(3) gradually implement the standards adopted under |
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Subdivision (2). |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 42.04211 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.04211. COLLECTION OF DATA REGARDING CHILD INJURIES. |
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(a) Using existing resources, for each licensed nonresidential |
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child-care facility that provides care for less than 24 hours a day, |
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the department shall: |
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(1) collect, compile, and report data, categorized by |
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the age of each child, regarding serious and critical injuries, |
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serious incidents, and child fatalities that occur in each |
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facility; and |
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(2) routinely collect the following data to determine |
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risk factors related to child injury, maltreatment, and child |
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fatalities in each facility: |
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(A) the status of the facility's license; |
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(B) the education and certification obtained by |
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caregivers and directors of the facility; |
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(C) staff-to-child ratios and group sizes in each |
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classroom; and |
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(D) the facility's program capacity. |
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(b) The department shall publish the data collected under |
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Subsection (a) on the department's Internet website for use by |
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consumers and the public. |
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SECTION 3. (a) The executive commissioner of the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section |
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42.042(m-1), Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, not later |
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than September 1, 2018. |
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(b) The Health and Human Services Commission is not required |
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to publish the staff-to-child ratio and group size data as required |
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by Section 42.04211(b), Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, |
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until December 1, 2018. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |