Researcher: JC Page 1 3/25/24
OLR Bill Analysis
SB 152
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.
SUMMARY
This bill makes the following changes to the laws related to the Office
of Early Childhood (OEC). It:
1. eliminates the requirement that child care centers and homes that
exclusively serve school-age children post a copy of an OEC-
developed developmental milestones document in the center or
home (§ 1);
2. adds children under the care of a caregiver who receives
subsidies under the subsidized guardianship program to the
Care 4 Kids protective service class (§ 2);
3. repeals the Care 4 Kids program regulations and instead requires
the OEC commissioner to (a) administer the program by
implementing the federal Child Care Development Fund
program’s regulations and (b) develop policies and procedures
necessary to do so (§§ 3 & 4); and
4. requires child care centers to allow a child with an individualized
family service plan who is eligible to receive Birth-to-Three
services to receive these services on-site at a child care center or
home (§ 5).
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2024
§ 1 — OEC DEVELOPMENTAL MILEST ONES DOCUMENT
Current law requires each operator of a child care center or group or
family child care home to post a copy of an OEC-developed document 2024SB-00152-R000094-BA.DOCX
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(1) listing key developmental milestones for children from birth to age
five and (2) notifying parents or guardians concerned that their child
has not met any developmental milestones that they may access the
OEC Child Development Infoline for information on appropriate
services.
Under the bill, beginning on July 1, 2024, centers that exclusively
serve school-age children are no longer required to post a copy of this
document.
§§ 2-4 — CARE 4 KIDS
Protective Service Class (§ 2)
The bill adds children under the care of a caregiver who receives
subsidies through the Department of Children and Families’s
subsidized guardianship program to OEC’s protective service class.
These children then become eligible for Care 4 Kids regardless of the
program’s eligibility requirements.
By law, the OEC commissioner may institute a protective service class
in which she may waive current law’s Care 4 Kids eligibility
requirements for certain at-risk populations, instead applying
guidelines that she prescribes and the Office of Policy and Management
reviews. Under current law, these at-risk populations include certain (1)
foster care children, (2) newly adopted children, and (3) homeless
children.
Regulations, Policies, and Procedures (§§ 3 & 4)
The bill repeals the Care 4 Kids program regulations, and instead
requires the OEC commissioner to administer the program by
implementing the requirements of the federal Child Care Development
Fund, which funds the Care 4 Kids program (45 CFR 98). Under the bill,
the OEC commissioner must develop policies and procedures necessary
to implement these federal requirements.
§ 5 — BIRTH-TO-THREE SERVICES
The bill requires licensed child care centers and group or family child
care homes to allow a child who is eligible for Birth-to-Three and who 2024SB-00152-R000094-BA.DOCX
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has an individualized family service plan to receive early intervention
services at the center or home designated in the plan.
By law and under the bill, individualized family service plans are
written plans for providing early intervention services to an eligible
child and the child’s family. These services must, among other things,
be (1) provided under public supervision, (2) selected in collaboration
with the parents, and (3) designed to meet the infant’s or toddler’s
developmental needs and the family’s needs in certain areas (34 CFR §
303.13(a)).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 45 Nay 0 (03/06/2024)