CA SB 116
Title: Early childcare and education.
Author: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
Summary
SB 116, as amended, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. Early childcare and education. (1) Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law requires the department to contract with local contracting agencies for alternative payment programs for childcare services to be provided throughout the state. Existing law requires an alternative payment program to reimburse a licensed provider for the childcare of a subsidized child based on the rate charged to nonsubsidized families or the rate established by the provider for prospective nonsubsidized families, as specified, and requires a licensed childcare provider to submit to the alternative payment program a copy of the provider’s rate sheet listing the rates charged and other specified policies and statements.This bill would provide that a license-exempt childcare provider is not required to submit rate sheets. The bill would, if a childcare provider’s reimbursement rate category could be construed as either full-time weekly or full-time monthly, require the alternative payment program, county, or contractor to reimburse the provider either (A) the applicable rate category that most closely corresponds to the rate category listed on the licensed childcare provider’s rate sheet, or (B) if the alternative payment program, county, or contractor cannot determine a single applicable rate category from the licensed childcare provider’s rate sheet, or if the license-exempt childcare provider does not have a rate sheet on file, the applicable rate category that results in the higher reimbursement.Existing law requires the department, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to implement a reimbursement system plan that establishes reasonable standards and assigned reimbursement rates, and specifies the reimbursement rate for contractors. Existing law requires the reimbursement rate to be increased by the above-described cost-of-living adjustment.The bill would suspend the annual cost-of-living adjustment for the reimbursement rate for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that any adjustment in the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years related to reimbursement for programs funded pursuant to these provisions be subject to a ratified agreement and subject to future legislation, as specified.Under existing law, for purposes of establishing initial income eligibility for services under the act, “income eligible” means that a family’s adjusted monthly income is at or below 85% of the state median income, adjusted for family size. Existing regulations provide how to calculate a family’s adjusted monthly income for purposes of determining income eligibility and calculating a family fee, and require that when a family’s income fluctuates because of migrant, agricultural, or seasonal work, inconsistent or unstable employment; self-employment; or intermittent income, the adjusted monthly income be determined by averaging the total countable income from the preceding 12 months.This bill would codify that regulation, except the bill would require that when a family experiences income fluctuation due to any of those previously mentioned reasons, a family may choose to provide up to the 12 preceding months of income information as necessary for purposes of determining income eligibility or calculating a family fee. The bill would require that the monthly income be determined by averaging the total countable income from at least 2 months, as applicable based on the income provided, to determine income eligibility or calculating a family fee. The bill would authorize the department to implement and administer these provisions by all-county letters, bulletins, or similar written instructions until regulations are adopted. The bill would require the department to adopt
Status
Ordered to third reading.
Bill Documents
CA SB 116 - 06/26/23 - Amended Assembly
06/26/23 - CA SB 116 (06/26/23 - Amended Assembly)
CA SB 116 - 01/18/23 - Introduced
01/18/23 - CA SB 116 (01/18/23 - Introduced)