Child care and development services.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Education, provides that children from infancy to 13 years of age are eligible for federal and state subsidized child development services if their families meet at least one requirement in each of certain areas. This bill would require, for purposes of determining eligibility for services under the act, that the income of a person who is on state or federal active duty, active duty for special work, or Active Guard and Reserve duty in the military not include the amount of the basic allowance for housing provided to that person, pursuant to specified federal law, if the allowance is equal to the lowest rate of the allowance for the military housing area in which the person resides. The act requires the department to contract with local contracting agencies for alternative payment programs for services provided throughout the state, and authorizes alternative payment programs for services provided in licensed centers and family day care homes and for other types of programs that conform to applicable law. This bill would require the department to contract with alternative payment programs, instead of local contracting agencies, for services provided throughout the state. The act requires an alternative payment program to reimburse a licensed provider for the child care of a subsidized child based on the rate charged to nonsubsidized families or the rate established by the provider for prospective nonsubsidized families, as specified. The act requires a licensed child care provider to submit to the alternative payment program and the local resource and referral agency a copy of the provider's rate sheet listing the rates charged and other specified policies and statements. The act authorizes a licensed child care provider to alter rate levels for subsidized children once per year and requires a licensed child care provider to provide the alternative payment program and local resource and referral agency with an updated rate sheet, and other specified policies and statements, to reflect the altered rate levels. This bill would delete the provision authorizing a licensed child care provider to alter rate levels for subsidized children once per year and the related requirement to provide an updated rate sheet, and other specified policies and statements, to the alternative payment program and local resource and referral agency. The act requires an alternative payment program to verify provider rates no less frequently than once a year, as provided, and requires the department to develop regulations for addressing discrepancies in provider rate levels identified through this verification process. This bill would delete those requirements.