The proposed bill establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership Program in West Virginia, aimed at supporting families by incentivizing employers to contribute to their employees' child care costs. It introduces a new article to the Code of West Virginia, which includes definitions, the responsibilities of the Department of Human Services, and the creation of the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership Program Fund. This fund will provide state matches to employers based on their contributions towards eligible child care costs, with guidelines for calculating these matches based on household income levels. The bill also outlines procedures for contracts between employers, employees, and child-care centers, as well as requirements for fund distribution and contract termination conditions.

Additionally, the bill mandates that if an employer fails to notify the Department of Human Services about contributions for eligible child-care costs, the child-care center must inform the department within five business days. In such cases, state matches will be temporarily halted, and the employer will be notified of potential contract termination unless the issue is resolved promptly. The legislation also details circumstances for contract termination, allows for voluntary termination with notice, and authorizes the Department of Economic Development to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to integrate this program into economic development agreements with participating employers. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance child care accessibility for working families while fostering collaboration between public and private sectors.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-12-101, 49-12-102, 49-12-103, 49-12-104, 49-12-105, 49-12-106, 49-12-107, 49-12-108