Senate Bill No. 152 (File No. 94) proposes changes to the laws overseen by the Office of Early Childhood (OEC), effective July 1, 2024. The bill repeals the requirement for the OEC to create and for child care centers to post a document on developmental milestones for children from birth to five years old, except for centers serving only school-age children. It also expands the eligibility for the child care subsidy program, Care 4 Kids, to include children under the care of a caregiver receiving subsidies under the subsidized guardianship program and adopted children through the Department of Children and Families for one year post-adoption. The bill requires the OEC to maintain enrollment for the subsidy program within existing budgetary resources and to communicate any program changes via its website.

Additionally, SB152 repeals certain regulations of the Care 4 Kids program and instructs the OEC commissioner to administer the program in line with federal Child Care Development Fund regulations, as well as to develop necessary policies and procedures. The bill also introduces a requirement for licensed child care centers to permit on-site early intervention services for children eligible for the Birth-to-Three program. The bill has passed the Education Committee with unanimous support and is set to take effect in 2024, with potential costs to the OEC due to the expansion of the Care 4 Kids program's eligibility.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-514
ED Joint Favorable: 10-514
File No. 94: 10-514