wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 2111 > Original Bill
(1) The department shall establish and implement policies in the working connections child care program to promote stability and quality of care for children from low-income households. These policies shall focus on supporting school readiness for young learners. Policies for the expenditure of funds constituting the working connections child care program must be consistent with the outcome measures established by the department and the standards established in this section intended to promote stability, quality, and continuity of early care and education programming.
It is the intent of the legislature to increase working families' access to affordable, high quality child care and to support the expansion of the workforce to support businesses and the statewide economy.
A family is eligible for working connections child care when the household's annual income is at or below 60 percent of the state median income adjusted for family size and:
The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need according to department rule or is under court supervision; and
The household meets all other program eligibility requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority granted by this chapter.
Beginning July 1, 2025, a family is eligible for working connections child care when the household's annual income is above 60 percent and at or below 75 percent of the state median income adjusted for family size and:
The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need according to department rule or is under court supervision; and
The household meets all other program eligibility requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority granted by this chapter.
Beginning July 1, 2027, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, a family is eligible for working connections child care when the household's annual income is above 75 percent of the state median income and is at or below 85 percent of the state median income adjusted for family size and:
The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need according to department rule or is under court supervision; and
The household meets all other program eligibility requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority granted by this chapter.
5.
The department must adopt rules to implement this section, including an income phase-out eligibility period.
The department may not consider the citizenship status of an applicant or consumer's child when determining eligibility for working connections child care benefits.
The income eligibility requirements in subsections (2) through (4) of this section do not apply to households eligible for the working connections child care program under sections 5 and 6 of this act, RCW 43.216.145 (as recodified by this act), and 43.216.1364 (as recodified by this act).
If the household's income is:
Then the household's maximum monthly copayment is:
At or below 20 percent of the state median income
Waived to the extent allowable under federal law; otherwise, a maximum of $15
Above 20 percent and at or below 36 percent of the state median income
$65
Above 36 percent and at or below 50 percent of the state median income
$90
Above 50 percent and at or below 60 percent of the state median income
$165
If the household's income is:
Then the household's maximum monthly copayment is:
At or below 20 percent of the state median income
Waived to the extent allowable under federal law; otherwise, a maximum of $15
Above 20 percent and at or below 36 percent of the state median income
$65
Above 36 percent and at or below 50 percent of the state median income
$90
Above 50 percent and at or below 60 percent of the state median income
$165
Above 60 percent and at or below 75 percent of the state median income
$215
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall adopt a copayment model for households with annual incomes above 75 percent of the state median income and at or below 85 percent of the state median income. The model must calculate a copayment for each household that is no greater than seven percent of the household's countable income within this income range.
The department may adjust the copayment schedule to comply with federal law.
The department must adopt rules to implement this section.
This section does not apply to households eligible for the working connections child care program under section 5 of this act, RCW 43.216.145 (as recodified by this act), and 43.216.1364 (as recodified by this act).
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Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department may not require an applicant or consumer to meet work requirements as a condition of receiving working connections child care benefits when the applicant or consumer is in a state registered apprenticeship program or is a full-time student of a community, technical, or tribal college and is enrolled in:
A vocational education program that leads to a degree or certificate in a specific occupation; or
An associate degree program.
An applicant or consumer is a full-time student for the purposes of this subsection if the applicant or consumer meets the college's definition of a full-time student.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department may extend the provisions of this section to full-time students who are enrolled in a bachelor's degree program or applied baccalaureate degree program.
The department shall establish and implement policies in the working connections child care program to allow eligibility for families with children who:
In the last six months have:
Received child protective services as defined and used by chapters 26.44 and 74.13 RCW;
Received child welfare services as defined and used by chapter 74.13 RCW;
Received services through a family assessment response as defined and used by chapter 26.44 RCW; or
A parent or guardian participating in a specialty court or therapeutic court or who is a listed victim in a case in a specialty court or therapeutic court;
Have been referred for child care as part of the family's case management as defined by RCW 74.13.020 or as part of the specialty court or therapeutic court's proceedings; and
Are residing with a biological parent or guardian.
Families who are eligible for working connections child care pursuant to this subsection do not have to keep receiving services or keep participating in a specialty court or therapeutic court identified in this subsection to maintain 12-month authorization as defined in RCW 43.216.136 (as recodified by this act) and have no copayment.
An applicant or consumer is eligible to receive working connections child care benefits for the care of one or more eligible children for the first 12 months of the applicant's or consumer's enrollment in a state registered apprenticeship program under chapter 49.04 RCW when:
The applicant or consumer's household annual income adjusted for family size does not exceed 75 percent of the state median income at the time of application, or, beginning July 1, 2027, does not exceed 85 percent of the state median income if funds are appropriated for the purpose of RCW 43.216.1368(4) (as recodified by this act);
The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; or (ii) less than 19 years of age and either has a verified special need according to department rule or is under court supervision; and
The household meets all other program eligibility requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department in accordance with RCW 43.216.055, 43.216.065, and 43.216.136 (as recodified by this act).
The department must adopt a copayment model for benefits granted under this subsection, which must align with any copayment identified or adopted for households with the same income level under section 3 of this act.
A family is eligible for working connections child care when the household's annual income is at or below 85 percent of the state median income adjusted for family size and:
The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need according to department rule or is under court supervision;
The applicant or consumer is employed in a licensed child care center or family home provider, as verified in the agency's electronic workforce registry; and
The household meets all other program eligibility requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority granted by this chapter.
The department must waive the copayment to the extent allowable under federal law; otherwise, a maximum of $15 for any applicant or consumer that meets the requirements under this section.
A parent who is attending high school is eligible to receive working connections child care.
A parent age 21 years or younger who is working toward completing a high school equivalency certificate is eligible to receive working connections child care.
When determining consumer eligibility and copayment under this section, the department:
Must, within existing resources, authorize full-day subsidized child care during the school year in cases where:
The parent is participating in 110 hours of approved activities per month;
The household income of the parent does not exceed 85 percent of the state median income at the time of application; and
The parent meets all other program eligibility requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority granted by this chapter;
May not consider the availability of the other biological parent when authorizing care; and
May not require a copayment.
Sections 3 through 6 of this act are each added to chapter 43.216 RCW and codified under the subchapter heading of "subsidized child care."
RCW 43.216.136, 43.216.1364, 43.216.1368, 43.216.139, 43.216.141, 43.216.143, 43.216.145, 43.216.730, and 43.216.749 are each recodified as sections in chapter 43.216 RCW to be added under the subchapter heading of "subsidized child care."