Introduced Version
SENATE BILL No. 404
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DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 2-5-36-9.3.
Synopsis: Child care deserts. Requires the commission on improving
the status of children in Indiana (commission) to develop and submit
to the general assembly a strategic plan to use funds received by the
family and social services administration under the American Rescue
Plan Act of 2021 to reduce and eliminate the incidence of geographic
areas in which child care services are insufficiently available or
affordable to meet the child care needs of the areas' residents. Specifies
issues the commission must consider in developing the plan.
Effective: July 1, 2022.
Qaddoura
January 12, 2022, read first time and referred to Committee on Family and Children
Services.
2022 IN 404—LS 6902/DI 119 Introduced
Second Regular Session of the 122nd General Assembly (2022)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2021 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SENATE BILL No. 404
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
human services.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 2-5-36-9.3 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
3 1, 2022]: Sec. 9.3. (a) As used in this section, "child care" has the
4 meaning set forth in IC 12-7-2-28.2.
5 (b) As used in this section, "child care desert" means a
6 geographic area in which child care services are insufficiently
7 available or insufficiently affordable to meet the child care needs
8 of residents of the area.
9 (c) The commission shall develop and submit to the general
10 assembly in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 a strategic plan
11 to use funds received by the office of the secretary of family and
12 social services under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L.
13 117-2, 135 Stat. 4) to reduce and eliminate child care deserts.
14 (d) In developing the strategic plan under subsection (c), the
15 commission shall consider the following:
16 (1) Use of Early Learning Indiana's:
17 (A) Early Learning Access Index; and
2022 IN 404—LS 6902/DI 119 2
1 (B) report regarding the Early Learning Access Index;
2 in making determinations regarding awarding of grants to
3 communities to address child care deserts.
4 (2) Providing for parity between:
5 (A) child care centers licensed under IC 12-17.2-4; and
6 (B) family child care providers;
7 with regard to voucher payments under the federal Child
8 Care and Development Fund.
9 (3) Establishment of a loan forgiveness program for all child
10 care providers in Indiana.
11 (4) Provision of subsidies to low-income, working parents
12 using funds from federal Child Care Development Fund block
13 grants.
14 (5) Changing Indiana tax law to:
15 (A) reflect the total cost, including both direct and indirect
16 costs, of child care; and
17 (B) increase the amount of pre-tax income that parents
18 may set aside through the child and dependent care credit.
19 (6) Workforce development initiatives to address shortages of
20 child care workers.
21 (7) Expanding the capacity of child care providers, improving
22 the quality of child care services, and making child care
23 services more affordable.
2022 IN 404—LS 6902/DI 119