This bill amends the Code of West Virginia by adding a new section, 49-2-113a, which focuses on child care support. It establishes that licensed child care programs will receive subsidy payments based on monthly enrollment. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department will conduct quarterly reviews and disqualify parents from receiving subsidies if their child does not attend a child care program for an average of at least 8 days per month. The bill defines a "day" as a child attending a child care program for 4 hours or an afterschool program for 2.5 hours.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that employees working a minimum of 32 hours per week in child care services are eligible for a child care subsidy, regardless of their income. It also requires the department to utilize a cost of care modeling tool to determine the subsidy amount and to report its findings to the Joint Committee on Health by December 1, 2026. The overall aim of this legislation is to enhance the administration of child care subsidies in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-2-131
Committee Substitute: 49-2-113a