House File 2203 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2203 BY A. MEYER A BILL FOR An Act establishing a graduated eligibility phase-out program 1 for state child care assistance. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5587YH (5) 88 as/rh

H.F. 2203 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 237A.14 Child care assistance —— 1 graduated eligibility phase-out. 2 1. At the time of a twelve-month eligibility 3 redetermination for a family receiving state child care 4 assistance, the family shall remain eligible to receive 5 child care assistance, subject to the graduated eligibility 6 phase-out program as specified in subsection 2, if either of 7 the following conditions are met: 8 a. The family’s nonexempt gross monthly income is determined 9 to be at least one hundred eighty-five percent but less than 10 two hundred twenty-five percent of the federal poverty level 11 applicable to the family size for children needing basic care. 12 b. The family’s nonexempt gross monthly income is determined 13 to be at least two hundred percent but less than two hundred 14 fifty percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the 15 family size for children needing special needs care. 16 2. a. A family with an income at two hundred twenty-five 17 percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the 18 family size for children needing basic care or at two hundred 19 fifty percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the 20 family size for children needing special needs care shall 21 be responsible for payment of fifty percent of the cost of 22 all children in the family participating in the child care 23 assistance program. 24 b. A family with an income of at least one hundred 25 eighty-five percent but less than two hundred twenty-five 26 percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family 27 size for children needing basic care or at least two hundred 28 percent but less than two hundred fifty percent of the federal 29 poverty level applicable to the family size for children 30 needing special needs care shall contribute to the costs of 31 child care in accordance with a sliding fee schedule to be 32 established by the department. 33 3. Child care provider reimbursement rates under the 34 graduated eligibility phase-out program shall be the same rates 35 -1- LSB 5587YH (5) 88 as/rh 1/ 3

H.F. 2203 as the child care provider reimbursement rates in effect on 1 July 1, 2020. 2 4. The department of human services shall adopt rules 3 pursuant to chapter 17A in accordance with this section. 4 EXPLANATION 5 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 6 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 7 This bill establishes a graduated eligibility phase-out 8 program for state child care assistance. 9 The bill provides that at the time of a 12-month eligibility 10 redetermination for a family receiving state child care 11 assistance, the family shall remain eligible for child care 12 assistance, subject to the graduated eligibility phase-out 13 program, if either the family’s nonexempt gross monthly 14 income is at least 185 percent but less than 225 percent of 15 the federal poverty level applicable to the family size for 16 children needing basic care or the family’s nonexempt gross 17 monthly income is at least 200 percent but less than 250 18 percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family 19 size for children needing special needs care. 20 The bill provides that a family with an income at 225 21 percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family 22 size for children needing basic care or at 250 percent of 23 the federal poverty level applicable to the family size for 24 children needing special needs care shall be responsible for 25 payment of 50 percent of the cost of all children in the 26 family participating in the child care assistance program. A 27 family with an income of at least 185 percent but less than 28 225 percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the 29 family size for children needing basic care or at least 200 30 percent but less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level 31 applicable to the family size for children needing special 32 needs care shall contribute to the costs of child care in 33 accordance with a sliding fee schedule to be established by the 34 department. 35 -2- LSB 5587YH (5) 88 as/rh 2/ 3

H.F. 2203 The bill provides that child care provider reimbursement 1 rates under the graduated eligibility phase-out program 2 shall be the same rates as the child care assistance provider 3 reimbursement rates in effect on July 1, 2020. 4 The department of human services is directed to adopt rules 5 in accordance with the provisions of the bill. 6 -3- LSB 5587YH (5) 88 as/rh 3/ 3