The bill proposes to repeal the existing section 208.046 of Missouri law and replace it with a new section that modifies the income eligibility criteria for individuals receiving state-funded child care assistance. The new provisions allow child care recipients to pay a fee based on their adjusted gross income and family size, determined by a sliding fee scale established by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Importantly, individuals whose income exceeds the annual appropriation level can still receive reduced subsidy benefits, although they will be responsible for covering the full cost of the maximum base child care subsidy rate once they surpass that level. Additionally, the bill introduces new criteria for eligibility, stating that households with verified employment of twenty hours or more per week in regulated child care facilities, licensed child care centers, registered child care centers, or group homes will have all earned and unearned income excluded from the eligibility determination. The bill also allows for the sliding scale fee to be waived for children with special needs and establishes that the maximum payment by the department will be the applicable rate minus the applicable fee. Overall, these changes aim to enhance access to child care assistance while ensuring that support is available to those who meet specific employment criteria.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (5282H.01): 208.046