HB 2206

Abstract

Child Care Assistance Program; emergency. Provides that regulations governing the Child Care Subsidy Program (the Program) shall be amended to provide that (i) a family shall be eligible for assistance through the Program if the family's income does not exceed 85 percent of the state median income, the family includes at least one child who is five years of age or younger and has not yet started kindergarten, and the family meets all other income and eligibility requirements of the Program and (ii) job search activities shall be considered eligible activities for the purposes of the Program. The bill provides that a family determined to be eligible for assistance through the Program shall be eligible to receive assistance for a period of 12 months or until the family's household income exceeds 85 percent of the state median income, whichever occurs sooner. The Department of Social Services shall administer the program, as amended by the bill, in cooperation with the Department of Education. The bill contains an emergency clause and provides that the provisions of the bill shall be applicable to applications for assistance through the Program received prior to August 1, 2021.

Child Care Assistance Program; emergency. Createsthe COVID-19 Child Care Assistance Program (the Program) to providefinancial assistance for child care to families in need during thepublic health emergency caused by COVID-19. The bill directs the Department of Education (the Department) to administer the Program and to createa process through which applicants may apply online to participatein the Program. The bill provides that after a Program participanthas selected an eligible child care provider, the Department shallissue a voucher, for full-time or part-time care, directly to theprovider and provide notice of the amount of the voucher to the Programparticipant. The bill provides that an applicant shall be eligibleto participate in the Program if the applicant's household incomeis at or below 100 percent of the state median income or regionalmedian income and the applicant's child for whom a voucher will beissued is 13 years of age or younger. The bill contains an emergencyclause and will sunset on the last day of the sixth month after itspassage.