HB1147: HB1147 Georgia Childcare for Economic Well-Being Act; enact

26 LC 61 0364 House Bill 1147 By: Representatives Olaleye of the 59th, Glaize of the 67th, Townsend of the 179th, Wilkerson of the 38th, Howard of the 129th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 1A of Title 20 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to general provisions relative to early care and learn ing, so as to establish a grant2 program to supplement the reimbursement rates paid by the Department of Early Care and3 Learning to providers participating in the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program;4 to provide requirements for such grants; to provide definitions; to provide for related matters;5 to provide for a short title; to provide for contingent effecti veness upon appropriation of6 funds; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Childc are for Economic10 Well-Being Act."11 SECTION 2.12 Article 1 of Chapter 1A of Title 20 of the Official Code of Geo rgia Annotated, relating to13 general provisions relative to early care and learning, is amen ded by adding a new Code14 section to read as follows:15 H. B. 1147 - 1 - 26 LC 61 0364 "20-1A-19.16 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:17 (1) 'Childcare and Parent Services program' and 'CAPS program' means the Childcare18 and Parent Services (CAPS) program administered by the department.19 (2) 'Family fee' means the family fee paid by a family directly to a provider and that is20 assessed by the department based on a family's annual income and family unit size which21 is deducted from the reimbursement rate.22 (3) 'Provider' means an early care and education program that provides child care to a23 child participating in the CAPS program.24 (4) 'Published rate' means the full rate a provider charges for providing child care based25 on the age of the child and the type of care provided.26 (5) 'Rate differential' means the difference between a provider's published rate and the27 reimbursement rate for such provider.28 (6) 'Reimbursement rate' means the maximum rate paid by the department to reimburse29 a provider and that is based on the location where child care is provided, the type of child30 care provider selected, the age of the child, and the type of care provided.31 (b) Subject to appropriations, the department shall establish a grant program to supplement32 the reimbursement rates paid to providers for children participating in the CAPS program. 33 The department shall award a grant to each child participating in the CAPS program in an34 amount equal to the amount of the rate differential plus the family fee for each such child. 35 Such grants shall be paid to the provider that provides child care for such child in the same36 manner as other payments made by the department to such provider as part of the CAPS37 program.38 (c) In the event that funds appropriated for the grant program provided for in this Code39 section are not sufficient to award a grant to each child participating in the CAPS program,40 the department shall prioritize grants to children from families with the highest financial41 H. B. 1147 - 2 - 26 LC 61 0364 need, taking into consideration annual income, family unit size, and the family's share of42 the cost of child care, including the family fee and rate differential."43 SECTION 3.44 This Act shall become effective only if funds are specifically appropriated for the purposes45 of this Act in an appropriations Act making specific reference to this Act and shall become46 effective when funds so appropriated become available for expenditure.47 SECTION 4.48 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.49 H. B. 1147 - 3 -