SB 2 Indiana Senate · 2024 Regular Session

Child care.

Summary
Requires the Indiana economic development corporation to annually report to the general assembly regarding funds dedicated to supporting child care under specified state and federal programs. Defines an "out-of-school-time program". Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services (FSSA) to publish on the FSSA website a dashboard providing monthly information regarding state and federal child care subsidies available to Indiana residents. Provides that a household is eligible to begin receiving assistance under the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program if the household, at the time of FSSA's initial determination of the household's income eligibility: (1) has a household income that does not exceed 85% of Indiana's state median income for the household's family size; (2) includes an individual who is employed by a licensed child care center, a licensed child care home, or a licensed or registered child care ministry; and (3) otherwise meets federal eligibility requirements for the CCDF program. Provides, with respect to the individual with certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) required to be present at all times when a child is in the care of a child care provider that is eligible to receive reimbursement through the CCDF program, that the individual is not required to be recertified in CPR annually. Provides that: (1) the early learning advisory committee must commission a third party evaluation to assess existing regulations for child care providers not later than May 1, 2024 (rather than July 1, 2024, under current law); and (2) FSSA must initiate the process of amending FSSA's rules in consideration of the findings of the third party evaluation not later than July 1, 2024. Requires, not later than September 30, 2024, the early learning advisory committee to: (1) complete a study regarding compensation in Indiana for early childhood educators and caregivers at out-of-school-time programs; (2) create an online dashboard to allow access to compensation data; and (3) issue a report containing the committee's findings and recommendations. Amends provisions regarding the On My Way Pre-K voucher program (program) to: (1) provide eligibility for children of child care employees; and (2) amend references to funds provided to children under the program as prekindergarten vouchers, rather than grants. Requires FSSA to establish a micro facility pilot program, under which FSSA shall: (1) develop a regulatory model that: (A) is applicable only to certain licensed or registered child care providers that provide child care for not less than three children and not more than 30 children for at least four hours per day (micro facilities); and (B) incorporates waivers or variances from FSSA's rules applicable to certain child care providers; (2) apply the regulatory model to at least three micro facilities and evaluate the operation of the micro facilities under the regulatory model; and (3) not later than October 1, 2026: (A) make a determination as to whether FSSA will adopt rules specific to micro facilities that incorporate some or all aspects of the regulatory model; and (B) submit to the general assembly a report regarding the pilot program. Requires FSSA to do the following: (1) Amend FSSA's rules to define a "substitute educator" caregiver type for purposes of FSSA's rules pertaining to all categories of child care providers regulated by FSSA. (2) Amend FSSA's rules to allow an employee of a child care provider who: (A) is 16 or 17 years of age; (B) is assigned to a lead caregiver who supervises the employee at all times during which the employee is supervising a child; (C) is never left alone with a child; and (D) meets specified qualifications; to be counted in child/staff ratios for school age child care rooms. (3) Amend FSSA's rules to allow an employee of a child care provider who: (A) is at least 18 years of age; and (B) meets specified qualifications; to serve as the staff person in charge of an infant/toddler room. (4) Issue a report to the general assembly not later than October 31, 2024, documenting the results attributable to: (A) the employer sponsored child care fund; and (B) the employer child care expenditure credit. (5) Study, in collaboration with other specified state agencies, opportunities for resource sharing across state agencies and local units of government to facilitate the fingerprinting of individuals for purposes of conducting national criminal history background checks and issue a report to the governor and the general assembly regarding the results of the study. Makes technical corrections.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Mar 2024
House Passage
Mar 2024
Signed into Law
Mar 2024
Introduced Jan 16, 2024 Signed Mar 13, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Jan 30, 2024 · House Mar 4, 2024

How they voted

471
Passed
Total votes 48
Jan 30, 2024
D Democratic9
9 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican39
38 Yea 1 Nay
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
37
Key actions
11
Committee
5
Amendments
2
Mar 13, 2024
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor
executive
Mar 12, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by the President of the Senate
upper
Mar 11, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by the Speaker
lower
Mar 7, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by the President Pro Tempore
upper
Mar 6, 2024
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House amendments; Roll Call 291: yeas 45, nays 2
upper
Mar 4, 2024
Lower · Passed
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 254: yeas 98, nays 1
lower
Feb 29, 2024
Introduced
Amendment #2 (Porter) ruled out of order
lower
Feb 29, 2024
Introduced
Amendment #1 (Porter) ruled out of order
lower
Feb 27, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
lower
Feb 22, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee report: do pass, adopted
lower
Feb 22, 2024
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127
lower
Jan 30, 2024
Upper · Passed
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 73: yeas 48, nays 1
upper
Jan 25, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee report: do pass, adopted
upper
Jan 18, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations
upper
4 primary · 17 co-sponsors

Sponsors