The bill aims to provide categorical eligibility for subsidized child care services to qualifying child care workers in New Jersey, allowing them to access these services regardless of their family's annual household income. A qualifying child care worker is defined as an educator or staff member employed for at least 20 hours per week by a licensed child care center or registered family child care provider. The bill mandates the Commissioner of Human Services to establish a verification process to confirm the employment status of these workers to ensure they meet the criteria for accessing the benefits.
Additionally, the Commissioner is tasked with applying for any necessary state plan amendments or waivers to maintain federal financial support for subsidized child care services under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. The bill also stipulates that the Commissioner of Human Services will adopt rules and regulations to facilitate the implementation of this act, which is set to take effect four months after its enactment, although anticipatory administrative actions may be taken beforehand.