The bill amends Section 40-5.2-20 of the Rhode Island General Laws, which pertains to the Rhode Island Works Program, specifically regarding childcare assistance. The amendment includes a new title for the section, "Childcare assistance — Families or assistance units eligible." It mandates that the department provide childcare to participants eligible for cash assistance who need childcare to meet work requirements. It also extends childcare assistance to working families with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, as well as to those participating in job-readiness programs or enrolled in Rhode Island public institutions of higher education, with a cap on eligibility when expenditures reach $200,000. The amendment specifies that families with liquid resources exceeding $1 million are ineligible for assistance and defines what constitutes liquid resources.

Significant changes include the deletion of language that previously required parents or caretaker relatives to consent to and cooperate with the department in establishing paternity and enforcing child and medical support orders as a condition of eligibility for childcare assistance. The new language states that while parents or caretaker relatives may voluntarily access the state's office of child support services for assistance with establishing and enforcing support orders, it is not a requirement for qualifying for childcare assistance. The bill also outlines provisions for determining the type of childcare, income considerations for assistance eligibility, and special considerations for military reserve members and childcare educators. The act is effective upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7122: 40-5.2-20