The proposed bill establishes the "West Virginia Tri-Share Child-Care Assistance Program," which aims to support families by encouraging employers to contribute to their employees' child-care expenses. The legislation outlines the program's framework, including definitions, administrative responsibilities, and the creation of a dedicated fund managed by the Department of Commerce. Employers will receive state matches for their contributions based on household income, with the program designed to assist families who do not qualify for existing child-care subsidies. The initial fund will be set at $5 million, with unspent funds carrying over to the next fiscal year, and the program is scheduled to start accepting contracts in 2028, with a sunset provision for June 30, 2031.

Furthermore, the bill includes provisions for employers' contributions to qualify for the federal "Employer-provided child care credit" and outlines the process for employee participation, which involves standardized contracts with employers and child-care facilities. It also details the conditions under which contracts may be terminated and allows the Department of Economic Development to integrate this program into economic development agreements with participating employers. To ensure program integrity, civil penalties are imposed for providing false information, with collected penalties directed to the Tri-Share fund. Overall, the legislation seeks to foster collaboration between public and private sectors to reduce child-care costs for working families in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 5B-12-1, 5B-12-2, 5B-12-3, 5B-12-4, 5B-12-5, 5B-12-6, 5B-12-7, 5B-12-8, 5B-12-9, 5B-12-10