HF 2514 (LSB 5350HV (5) 91)

MAKING CHILDREN OF CHILD CARE WORKERS IN THIS STATE  ELIGIBLE FOR THE STATE CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  237A.13A  State child care assistance —— child care workforce.
   1.  Notwithstanding any provision of section 237A.13 or 237A.14 to the contrary, a child shall be eligible for the state child care assistance program established in section 237A.13 if a parent, guardian, or custodian of the child meets all of the following requirements, as applicable:
   a.  The parent, guardian, or custodian is employed at a child care facility or child care home located in this state, and the child care facility or child care home has an agreement with the department to accept reimbursement from the state child care assistance program.
   b.  The parent, guardian, or custodian works in a child care facility or child care home located in this state an average minimum of thirty-two hours per week during the month in a position with a primary duty of providing child care directly to children, and is regularly counted in the minimum child-to-staff ratio established by the department by rule.
   c.  (1)  If the parent, guardian, or custodian is employed at a child care home or a child development home, the parent, guardian, or custodian does not provide child care to the parent’s, guardian’s, or custodian’s own child.
   (2)  Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), a co-provider at a child development home may qualify for state child care assistance if the co-provider meets all requirements specified in this section and by the department by rule.
   d.  The parent, guardian, or custodian is not a substitute or an assistant at a child care home or a child development home.
   e.  Based on the department’s evaluation of the parent’s, guardian’s, or custodian’s application for state child care assistance, the department has determined the parent, guardian, or custodian has a need for child care.
   f.  The parent, guardian, or custodian is not the owner of the child care facility or child care home where the parent’s, guardian’s, or custodian’s child is enrolled.
   2.  A director, co-director, or other administrative staff member of a child care facility may qualify for state child care assistance under subsection 1 if such individual is regularly counted in the minimum child-to-staff ratio established by the department by rule.
   3.  A parent, guardian, or custodian of a child participating in the state child care assistance program pursuant to eligibility established under this section shall make copayments as specified by the department by rule.
   4.  No later than December 1 of each year, the department shall submit a report to the general assembly relating to participation in the state child care assistance program under this section. The report must include all of the following:
   a.  The dollar amount of state moneys spent to reimburse child care providers during the immediately preceding fiscal year.
   b.  The dollar amount of federal moneys spent to reimburse child care providers during the immediately preceding fiscal year.
   c.  The dollar amount of state moneys spent on administrative costs during the immediately preceding fiscal year.
   d.  The dollar amount of federal moneys spent on administrative costs during the immediately preceding fiscal year. 
   e.  The total number of participating families.
   f.  The total number of participating children.
   g.  The average gross household income for participating families.
   h.  The number of participating families for each of the following levels of gross household income:
   (1)  Above one hundred sixty percent but below one hundred eighty percent of the federal poverty level.
   (2)  At or above one hundred eighty percent but below two hundred percent of the federal poverty level.
   (3)  At or above two hundred percent but below two hundred twenty percent of the federal poverty level.
   (4)  At or above two hundred twenty percent but below two hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty level.
   (5)  At or above two hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty level.
   5.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.

______________________________
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of the House

______________________________
AMY SINCLAIR
President of the Senate

   I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and is known as House File 2514, Ninety-first General Assembly.

______________________________
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Clerk of the House

Approved _______________, 2026

______________________________
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor