Bill
HB 619
87(R) - 2021
House International Relations & Economic Development
Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development
House International Relations & Economic Development
Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development
Labor
Workforce
Occupational Licensing
Texas Workforce Commission
Vote Recommendation
No
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Negative
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Negative
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Neutral
Author(s)
Senfronia Thompson
Angie Chen Button
Ray Lopez
James Talarico
Senfronia Thompson
Co-Author(s)
Julie Johnson
Christina Morales
Penny Morales Shaw
Gene Wu
Sponsor(s)
Carol Alvarado
Bill Caption
Relating to developing a strategic plan to support the child-care workforce.
Fiscal Notes
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB 619, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Bill Analysis
HB 619 would charge the Texas Workforce Commission to create a strategic plan to improve the quality of child-care workforce in Texas. Such a plan would have to include:
- recommendations for local workforce development boards;
- recommendations for increasing compensation and reducing turnover of child-care workers;
- recommendations to eliminate racial and gender pay disparity for child-care workforce;
- recommendations to increase paid opportunities for professional development and education;
- best practices from local workforce development boards;
- recommendations to increase participation in the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System;
- recommendations for public and private institutions to increase the use of articulation agreements, and assist in the education and training of child-care workers;
- improving the infant and toddler child-care workforce; and
- a timeline and benchmarks for the commission and local workforce development boards.
HB 619 would require the commission to convene a workgroup of child-care providers, community stakeholders, and child-care workers to assist the commission in developing such a plan.
Vote Recommendation Notes
HB 619 violates the principles of limited government and the free market. Childcare and the economics thereof are properly in the domain of the private sector. The relationships between providers and parents are not within the proper sphere of state government to tinker with. There is a thriving marketplace for child-care in Texas and parents have a wide range of options. Neither providers nor families need the state to involve itself in this way. Texas Action opposes HB 619.
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