The proposed legislation, General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6840, mandates the Office of Early Childhood to conduct an annual study starting January 1, 2026, on the availability of licensed and license-exempt child care services across the state. This study will assess various factors, including the number of child care centers and homes, the total slots available for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children, and the supply and demand for these services at municipal, regional, and state levels. The findings and recommendations from this study must be reported to the relevant joint standing committees of the General Assembly.

Additionally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Early Childhood to develop a plan by January 1, 2026, aimed at addressing the shortages of infant and toddler child care services for low-income families. This plan will be informed by the study's findings and will include strategies for identifying families in need, increasing the number of subsidized slots, and ensuring access to these slots for low-income families. Both the study and the plan are set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and the bill introduces new sections to the general statutes without deleting any existing legal language.