Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 49 and Title 71.

This bill authorizes state agencies to provide child care services for children of state employees and requires the department of human services to approve, administer, and coordinate those services. The department will coordinate with the department of general services in regard to the placement, design, or other structural needs for the facility. This bill provides that child care programs may be located in state-owned office buildings, educational facilities and institutions, and with the consent of the speakers of the senate and house of representatives, in buildings used for legislative activities. The state will provide the space to a sponsoring agency, if available. This bill also requires that the provider of the proposed child care services be selected by competitive contract. Requests for proposals must be developed with assistance from the sponsoring state agency and must be approved by the department and the sponsoring state agency. This bill requires the department of general services, in coordination with the sponsoring state agency, to procure the child care services from a qualifying vendor. The vendor awarded the contract must cover costs of the build out under the contract. This bill authorizes a state agency to enter into a partnership with local municipalities to jointly provide child services to state and municipal employees. ON APRIL 14, 2021, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 22 FOR HOUSE BILL 1114, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 22, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 replaces this bill's requirement that the department of human services approve, administer, and coordinate child care services for the children of state officers and employees with authorization for state agencies to contract with a licensed provider of child care services to offer child care services as an option for the agency's officers and employees. This amendment makes permissive this bill's requirement that the state provide space to a sponsoring agency. This amendment removes authorization for the commissioner of human services to promulgate rules to effectuate the purposes of this bill. This amendment adds that this bill does not apply to an institution of higher education that provides or establishes child care services through the institution of higher education.