HB 1653 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in children and youth, providing for child-care center assistance grants.

PRINTER'S NO.   2006

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 1653
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, HARKINS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, INGLIS,
        PROBST, HILL-EVANS, CERRATO, HANBIDGE, BOROWSKI, PIELLI,
        KHAN, SANCHEZ, DONAHUE, SCHLOSSBERG, D. WILLIAMS, CIRESI,
        GREEN, DEASY, MAYES, HOHENSTEIN, KENYATTA, GIRAL, RIVERA,
        MADDEN, GUENST, ISAACSON AND BOYD, JUNE 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 24, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in children and youth,
 4      providing for child-care center assistance grants.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.    Article VII of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
 8   No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a
 9   subarticle to read:
10                  (f)   Child-Care Center Assistance Grants
11   Section 775.    Rural child care creation grants.
12      (a)   Establishment of grant.--The department shall establish
13   a competitive grant for nonprofit early childhood education
14   organizations and public school districts to offer child care in
15   rural counties. The department shall require that a child-care
16   center that applies for a grant under this section comply with
17   licensing requirements in this article.
 1      (b)   Awarding of grants.--A grant may be awarded to new
 2   child-care centers in counties with a population density under
 3   291 people per square mile that expand or establish child care
 4   beyond the organization or school district's current offering.
 5   The county must also be considered lacking child care openings
 6   as determined by the department in consultation with the Center
 7   for Rural Pennsylvania.
 8      (c)   Uses of grant money.--Grant money may be used by the
 9   recipient for:
10            (1)   Land purchase cost.
11            (2)   Facility construction.
12            (3)   Facility renovation.
13            (4)   Two years of staff salary supplements according to
14      the following:
15                  (i)    Staff salary supplements for school districts
16            that establish a new child-care center would be the
17            amount necessary to provide salary parity across early
18            childhood education.
19                  (ii)    Certified prekindergarten teachers may not be
20            paid less than the district's starting salary for other
21            teachers with prekindergarten to fourth grade
22            instructional certifications at the same step.
23                  (iii)    Child development associates, as credentialed
24            by the Council for Professional Recognition, may not be
25            paid less than the local school district's starting
26            salary for kindergarten through fourth grade teachers
27            with no experience.
28      (d)   Match of grant requirement.--A grant applicant under
29   this section must show at least one partnership with a local
30   business that agrees to pay a portion of the child-care fees for

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 1   the business's employees attending the child-care center. These
 2   agreements are solely at the discretion of the child-care center
 3   and the local business, for the purpose of maintaining child-
 4   care staff salary levels after the two-year grant supplement
 5   ends.
 6      (e)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
 7   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
 8   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
 9      "Local business."   A business located within the same county
10   as the child-care center or a geographically adjoining county to
11   the county that the child-care center is located.
12      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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