HB 936 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, further providing for definitions and for copayments for subsidized child care.

PRINTER'S NO.   1002

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 936
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, ISAACSON, WAXMAN, FREEMAN, CERRATO,
        PIELLI, KHAN, HILL-EVANS, OTTEN, HOWARD, GIRAL, SANCHEZ,
        SCHLOSSBERG, DONAHUE, MAYES, D. WILLIAMS, HOHENSTEIN, BOYD,
        GREEN AND FLEMING, MARCH 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 17, 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 public assistance,
 4      further providing for definitions and for copayments for
 5      subsidized child care.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Section 402 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
 9   No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding
10   definitions to read:
11      Section 402.    Definitions.--As used in this article, unless
12   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      * * *
14      "Child care" means the supervision of children who are
15   younger than sixteen years of age and who are away from the
16   home, which is provided in lieu of parental supervision for part
17   of the twenty-four-hour day. The term does not include the
18   supervision of children provided in a place of worship during
 1   religious services or by a social service organization.
 2      "Child-care center" means a premises, certified by the
 3   department, where child care is provided at any one time for
 4   seven or more children unrelated to the operator of the
 5   premises.
 6      "Child-care employe" means an individual who provides child
 7   care in a family child-care home or child-care center.
 8      * * *
 9      "Family child-care home" means a residence where child care
10   is provided by the occupier of the residence to no less than
11   four children and no more than six children at a time where none
12   of the children are related to the occupier who provides the
13   child care.
14      * * *
15      Section 2.   Section 408.3(a) of the act is amended and
16   subsection (c) is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
17      Section 408.3.   Copayments for Subsidized Child Care.--(a)
18   Notwithstanding any other provision of law or departmental
19   regulation, the parent or caretaker of a child enrolled in
20   subsidized child care shall pay a copayment for the subsidized
21   child care based on a percentage of the family's annual income,
22   or the status of the parent or caretaker of a child enrolled in
23   subsidized child care as a child-care employe or as a direct
24   support professional employed by a child-care center or family
25   child-care home, as specified in a copayment schedule
26   established by the department pursuant to this section.
27      * * *
28      (c)   In establishing the copayment amounts pursuant to this
29   section, all of the following shall apply:
30      * * *

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 1      (3.3)     A family in which the parent or caretaker is a child-
 2   care employe or a direct support professional employed by a
 3   child-care center or family child-care home shall be eligible
 4   for subsidized child care, regardless of the family's annual
 5   income according to the following:
 6      (i)    The copayment for a family in which the parent or
 7   caretaker is a child-care employe or a direct support
 8   professional employed by a child-care center or family child-
 9   care home amount shall not exceed fifteen percent of the
10   family's annual income.
11      (ii)    If a child-care employe or direct support professional
12   employed by a child-care center or family child-care home
13   qualifies for subsidized child care based on the percentage of
14   the family's annual income, the copayment amount shall follow
15   the guidelines for families which are eligible for subsidized
16   child care based on income but which do not have a parent or
17   caretaker who is a child-care employe or direct support
18   professional employed by a child-care center or family child-
19   care home.
20      * * *
21      Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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