Bill Text: VA HB1959 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Child Care Subsidy Program waiting list; target timeline for assigning slots to priority groups.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 35-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2025-02-10 - Assigned Education sub: Public Education [HB1959 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2025-HB1959-Introduced.html
2025 SESSION
INTRODUCED
25104417D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1959
Offered January 8, 2025
Prefiled January 6, 2025
A BILL to require the Department of Education to establish an additional priority group for the Child Care Subsidy Program waiting list and establish, track, and report on a target timeline for assigning slots to Child Care Subsidy Program priority groups.
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Patron—Bennett-Parker
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Committee Referral Pending
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. The Department of Education shall amend its Child Care Subsidy Program Guidance Manual to add a seventh priority group to the Child Care Subsidy Program waiting list that consists of any family that meets all other Child Care Subsidy Program eligibility criteria and includes a parent who is employed for at least 30 hours per week by a publicly funded child care provider in the Commonwealth that serves children from birth to age five, excluding employment by a local school division but including employment by a Head Start program that is located within a public school building. In addition to the Department of Education amending such manual, the Department shall require local departments of social services to target a maximum of 30 days for moving priority group families from the waiting list into services; regularly assess, in coordination with the Department of Social Services, the length of time it takes for priority groups to be assigned slots; and provide quarterly updates, beginning October 1, 2025, to the Commission on Early Childhood Care and Education on such timeline and any other barriers experienced by families in priority groups on the waiting list in accessing services. The Board of Education shall adopt any regulations and the Department of Education shall implement any policies or procedures necessary for the implementation and administration of the provisions of this act.
