HSB 500 (LSB 5350YC (3) 91)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON HARRIS)

A BILL FOR

An Act making children of child care workers 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 that 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 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.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill provides that a child is eligible for the state child care assistance (CCA) program under Code section 237A.13 (state child care assistance) or 237A.14 (child care assistance —— graduated eligibility phase-out) if a parent, guardian, or custodian of the child is employed at a child care facility or child care home that has an agreement with the department of health and human services (HHS) to accept reimbursement from the CCA program; works an average minimum of 32 hours per week in a position with a primary duty of providing child care directly to children; and meets several other requirements specified in the bill. A parent, guardian, or custodian of a child participating in the CCA program under the bill shall make copayments as specified by HHS by rule.
   The bill requires HHS to adopt rules to administer the bill.