House Bill No. 5003, also known as Public Act No. 25-82, aims to improve early childhood care and education in the state by establishing an electronic portal by July 1, 2028. This portal will allow parents to access information about early childhood program availability, submit enrollment details, and apply for child care subsidies. The Office of Early Childhood is responsible for developing this portal, which will also aid in data collection and payment management for early childhood programs. Additionally, the bill mandates the implementation of a prospective payment system for the child care subsidy program by July 1, 2027, and includes provisions for data sharing agreements and studies on liability insurance for child care centers.

The bill also amends existing regulations for licensed child care providers, requiring them to provide more detailed information to maintain reimbursement eligibility, such as the type of business entity and the names of all officers and owners. It introduces a temporary endorsement for family child care homes to care for up to twelve children under specific conditions. A pilot program is established to provide expectant mothers in hospitals with information about child care services, focusing on low-income families. The bill mandates that hospitals compile tailored documents listing local child care centers and financial assistance options, which must be disseminated electronically by January 1, 2026. The Commissioner of Early Childhood is also required to submit a report by June 1, 2028, analyzing the pilot program's effectiveness. The bill includes new legal language specifying the information to be included in the documents and the timeline for dissemination and reporting, with no deletions from current law noted.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 10-511
KID Joint Favorable: 10-511
File No. 198: 10-511
ED Joint Favorable: 10-511
APP Joint Favorable: 10-511
Public Act No. 25-82: