As Introduced
135th General Assembly
Regular Session S. B. No. 332
2023-2024
Senator Schaffer
A BILL
To create the Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program. 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. (A) As used in this section, "child care" has 2
the same meaning as in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code. 3
(B) The Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program is created in 4
the Department of Children and Youth, under which the costs of 5
child care are shared equally by participating employees, their 6
employers, and, subject to available funds, the Department. The 7
program has all of the following goals: enabling employers to 8
attract and retain talent; assisting employees with child care 9
costs; and sustaining the businesses of child care providers. 10
The program shall operate in fiscal years 2025 and 2026 in 11
Fairfield County. 12
(C) To be eligible to participate in the program, all of 13
the following apply: 14
(1) In the case of an employee, the employee shall reside 15
in Fairfield County, be ineligible for publicly funded child 16
care, have a family income that does not exceed three hundred 17
per cent of the federal poverty line, and have been selected for 18
participation by the employee's employer. 19
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As Introduced
(2) In the case of an employer, the employer shall be 20
located in Fairfield County and have selected one or more of its 21
employees to participate in the program. 22
(3) In the case of a child care provider, the provider 23
shall either hold a license issued under Chapter 5104. of the 24
Revised Code or be certified by a county Department of Job and 25
Family Services under section 5104.12 of the Revised Code. 26
(D) Each employee and employer seeking to participate in 27
the program shall together submit an application to the 28
Department in a manner prescribed by the Department. The 29
Department shall review each application as soon as practicable 30
after it is received and shall determine if the employee and 31
employer are both eligible to participate. 32
(E) After an employee and employer are both determined 33
eligible and agree to participate in the program, all of the 34
following apply: 35
(1) The employee, with the assistance of the Department, 36
shall select a child care provider for the employee's child and 37
shall enroll the child with the provider. An employee may opt to 38
select the employee's existing child care provider so long as 39
that provider is licensed or certified as described in this 40
section. 41
(2) In addition to the employer's share, the employer may 42
agree to contribute some or all of an employee's share of child 43
care costs. 44
(3) As a condition of participation, the Department may 45
require the employee, employer, and child care provider to each 46
sign a memorandum of understanding with the Department. 47
(4) The Department is responsible for coordinating and 48
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As Introduced
performing all administrative activities associated with the 49
sharing of child care costs and making payments to child care 50
providers. 51
(F) An eligibility determination made under division (D) 52
of this section is valid for one fiscal year. The employee and 53
employer must submit an application to the Department each year 54
to participate in the pilot program. 55
(G) If the Department finds that an employee or employer 56
has committed fraud, misrepresentation, or deception in applying 57
to participate, or in participating, in the program, the 58
employee or employer is permanently ineligible to participate, 59
or continue to participate, in the program. 60
(H) The Department may adopt rules as necessary to 61
implement this section. Any rules shall be adopted in accordance 62
with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. 63