The bill amends section 5104.30 and enacts section 5104.302 of the Revised Code to expand eligibility for publicly funded child care to include foster caregivers and kinship caregivers. Specifically, it removes the previous provision that limited eligibility to families receiving publicly funded child care as of October 1, 1997, and introduces new language that defines foster caregivers and kinship caregivers according to existing definitions in the Revised Code. The bill stipulates that these caregivers must be employed or participating in education or training related to the time the child is receiving care to qualify for publicly funded child care.

Additionally, the bill outlines that publicly funded child care can only be provided for children placed with foster or kinship caregivers and specifies the types of licensed providers eligible to offer this care. These include licensed child care centers, family child care homes, preschool programs, and school child programs, as well as border state child care providers under certain conditions. The existing section 5104.30 is repealed, indicating a significant update to the framework governing publicly funded child care in Ohio.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 5104.30