It is a busy year for Child Care Bills. All of the following have been put forward by our local Rep. Ann Meyer, She is doing great things for child care!
While all these bills have to do with the Child Care Assistance program, they impact the rates of local providers which are low in our area. Because they are low, providers don’t make much and can’t afford to pay their staff what they should make. All of this factors into the availability of child care in our community and impacts our workforce and economic development.
HF 2270 CHILDCARE REIMBURSEMENT(Human Resources; Successor to HF 2067) FM: A Meyer Requires the DHS to set the reimbursement rate for childcare providers at the 50% of the market rate survey from December 2017 as of July 2020.
HF 2271 INFANT & TODDLER CHILD CARE (Human Resources; Successor to HF 2128) FM: A Meyer Directs the DHS to define infants and toddlers as children between the ages of two weeks and three years and a preschool child as being between 3 and school age for childcare reimbursement rates.
HF 2203 CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE (A Meyer) (Human Resources) Establishes a phase-out program for families that receive childcare assistance but are determined to no longer be eligible at the annual eligibility redetermination. Establishes levels of assistance, based on the income of the family and the special needs of the child. Directs DHS to adopt rules.
Just an quick NOTE on this bill: People hear about the child care cliff effect, in which by accepting a small raise a parent becomes in-eligible for child care assistance. Here is an Example: Mother accepts a small increase in pay, which equates to $50+ per month, by accepting the raise, she will loose $700+ per month in child care assistance. So people will either not accept the raise, reduce hours, etc. as a small increase in income and an big increase in child care costs is not financial feasible.