HOUSE BILL NO. 2624 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PRICE.
6273H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 660, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to kinship infant care.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 660, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 660.850, to read as follows: 660.850. 1. There is hereby established within the department the "Kinship 2 Infant Care Support Program" to provide financial support payments to an eligible 3 caregiver who cares for an infant so that the infant's parent or parents may work, 4 attend school, or participate in job training. All moneys deposited into the kinship 5 infant care support fund established in this section shall be used for such financial 6 support payments and for training and background checks required under this section. 7 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean: 8 (1) "Background check", includes: 9 (a) A state and Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint check; and 10 (b) The state-based child abuse and neglect registry and database; 11 (2) "Caregiver", a person who is a biological grandparent, great-grandparent, 12 aunt, uncle, or sibling eighteen years of age or older to an infant and who is a Missouri 13 resident; 14 (3) "Department", the department of social services; 15 (4) "Infant", a person under one year of age who is biologically related to a 16 caregiver.
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 2624 2
17 3. (1) In order for a caregiver to be eligible for financial support payments 18 under this section, a parent or parents of an infant shall: 19 (a) Engage in work, education, or job training for at least twenty hours per 20 week; and 21 (b) Have a household income at or below two hundred fifty percent of the federal 22 poverty level. 23 (2) The parent or parents shall provide proof of the requirements under 24 subdivision (1) of this subsection to the department as provided by the department. 25 4. (1) The department shall pay an eligible caregiver an hourly rate per infant. 26 A caregiver of an infant whose parent or parents are at or below one hundred fifty 27 percent of the federal poverty level shall be given a higher hourly rate compared to a 28 parent or parents who are one hundred fifty-one percent to two hundred fifty percent of 29 the federal poverty level. 30 (2) The hourly rate shall be established by the department. 31 (3) Caregivers: 32 (a) May be paid for up to sixty hours per week per infant; 33 (b) May care for no more than two infants at one time; and 34 (c) Shall not receive payments for hours already covered by other child care 35 subsidies, foster care payments, or temporary assistance to needy families child-only 36 grants. 37 5. (1) In addition to all other eligibility requirements provided in this section, a 38 caregiver shall also successfully complete a background check before receiving any 39 financial support payments under this section. Each caregiver shall be subject to the 40 background check every five years. 41 (2) (a) The caregiver shall: 42 a. Initially complete twelve hours of health and safety training, including 43 training in infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation, safe sleep practices, abuse recognition, 44 shaken baby prevention, and infant development. After the initial health and safety 45 training, the caregiver shall receive annual training as required by the department; and 46 b. Attest that his or her home meets basic safety standards, including a safe sleep 47 space, fire detectors, and safe storage for firearms. 48 (b) The caregiver shall submit all information required under paragraph (a) of 49 this subdivision in a manner provided by the department. 50 6. Caregivers receiving Supplemental Security Income or Social Security 51 Disability Insurance may participate in the kinship infant care support program if the 52 caregiver's disability does not prevent safe infant care; the caregiver's total household 53 income, including Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability HB 2624 3
54 Insurance, is within the applicable federal program limit; and the caregiver meets all 55 training and safety requirements. 56 7. The department shall: 57 (1) Create accessible applications that are to be completed by the parent or 58 parents. Such applications shall be available on paper or online and be in English or 59 Spanish. A completed application shall be approved or denied by the department within 60 thirty days of applying for financial support payments for a caregiver. Any application 61 that has been denied shall state the reason or reasons for denial; 62 (2) Provide or contract for required training and background checks at no cost 63 to the parent or parents or caregiver; and 64 (3) Process financial support payments within thirty days of receiving complete 65 monthly attendance records. 66 8. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Kinship Infant Care 67 Support Fund". The fund shall be administered by the department. The fund shall 68 consist of moneys appropriated to it by the general assembly and any gifts, bequests, or 69 donations to such fund. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In 70 accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve 71 disbursements. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys 72 in this fund shall be used solely as provided in this section and pay any administrative 73 costs associated with the kinship infant care support program. However, no more than 74 ten percent of the moneys in the fund shall be used to pay for the administrative costs. 75 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys 76 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the 77 general revenue fund. 78 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as 79 other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be 80 credited to the fund. 81 9. The department shall submit quarterly updates and an annual report to the 82 general assembly covering enrollment, spending, outcomes, and safety data, and 83 commission a comprehensive independent evaluation three years after implementation. 84 10. The department shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the 85 administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in 86 section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall 87 become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 88 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable 89 and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to 90 review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently HB 2624 4
91 held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or 92 adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: