The bill proposes the repeal of section 208.053 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and enacts two new sections, 208.049 and 208.053, which focus on child care reimbursement. The new provisions aim to create a program that allows individuals receiving state-funded child care subsidies to access transitional child care benefits without needing to qualify for full child care benefits first. This program is set to be implemented by July 1, 2024, and will be voluntary, allowing recipients to receive benefits based on a sliding scale according to their household income relative to the federal poverty level. Additionally, the bill outlines specific criteria for determining the state base rate for provider payments, which will now consider factors such as geographic area, type of facility, duration of care, enrollment status, age of the child, and any enhancements for after-hours or weekend care. The department of elementary and secondary education is tasked with tracking program participation and reporting its effectiveness to the General Assembly annually, starting September 1, 2025. The bill also includes provisions for pursuing necessary federal waivers to implement the program and stipulates that any rules created under this authority must comply with existing legislative provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (6497H.01): 208.049, 208.053