Introduced Version HOUSE BILL No. 1257 _____ DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL Citations Affected: IC 12-14-31-3; IC 12-17.2-7.2-1. Synopsis: Child care assistance eligibility. Provides that a household is eligible to begin receiving assistance under the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program if the household, at the time of the initial determination of the household's income eligibility by the office of the secretary of family and social services (FSSA): (1) has a household income that does not exceed 85% of Indiana's state median income for the household's family size; (2) includes an individual who is employed by a licensed child care center, a licensed child care home, or a licensed or registered child care ministry; and (3) otherwise meets federal eligibility requirements for the CCDF program. Provides that a child who: (1) is a member of a household with an annual income that does not exceed 85% of Indiana's state median income for the child's family size; (2) resides with a parent or guardian who is employed by a licensed child care center, a licensed child care home, or a licensed or registered child care ministry; and (3) meets other eligibility requirements for the prekindergarten program under current law; is eligible for assistance under the prekindergarten program. Effective: Upon passage. Shackleford January 9, 2024, read first time and referred to Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs. 2024 IN 1257—LS 6978/DI 119 Introduced Second Regular Session of the 123rd General Assembly (2024) 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 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly. HOUSE BILL No. 1257 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 12-14-31-3 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE 2 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 3 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 3. A household that, at the time of the office 4 of the secretary's initial determination of the household's income 5 eligibility for purposes of entry into the CCDF program: 6 (1) has a household income that does not exceed eighty-five 7 percent (85%) of Indiana's state median income for the 8 household's family size; 9 (2) includes an individual who is employed by a: 10 (A) child care center licensed under IC 12-17.2-4; 11 (B) child care home licensed under IC 12-17.2-5; or 12 (C) child care ministry licensed or registered under 13 IC 12-17.2-6; and 14 (3) otherwise meets federal eligibility requirements for the 15 CCDF program; 16 is eligible for assistance under the CCDF program. 17 SECTION 2. IC 12-17.2-7.2-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.201-2023, 2024 IN 1257—LS 6978/DI 119 2 1 SECTION 138, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS 2 [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, 3 "eligible child" refers to an individual: who: 4 (1) who is at least four (4) years of age and less than five (5) years 5 of age on August 1 of the state fiscal year for which a grant is 6 sought under the prekindergarten pilot program; 7 (2) who is a resident of Indiana or otherwise has legal settlement 8 in Indiana, as determined under IC 20-26-11; 9 (3) who: 10 (A) is a member of a household with an annual income that 11 does not exceed one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the 12 federal poverty level; or 13 (B) is a member of a household with an annual income that 14 does not exceed eighty-five percent (85%) of Indiana's 15 state median income for the individual's family size and 16 who resides with a parent or guardian who is employed by 17 a: 18 (i) child care center licensed under IC 12-17.2-4; 19 (ii) child care home licensed under IC 12-17.2-5; or 20 (iii) child care ministry licensed or registered under 21 IC 12-17.2-6; 22 (4) who receives qualified early education services from an 23 eligible provider, as determined by the office; 24 (5) who has a parent or guardian who participates in a parental 25 engagement and involvement component provided by the eligible 26 provider; 27 (6) who has a parent or guardian who agrees to ensure that the 28 child meets the attendance requirements determined by the office; 29 and 30 (7) who meets the requirements under section 7.2(a) and 7.2(c) of 31 this chapter. 32 SECTION 3. [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE] (a) Not later than 33 December 31, 2024, the office of the secretary of family and social 34 services shall submit to the United States Department of Health 35 and Human Services any amendment to Indiana's Child Care and 36 Development Fund plan necessary to implement IC 12-14-31-3, as 37 added by this act, and IC 12-17.2-7.2-1, as amended by this act. 38 (b) This SECTION expires January 1, 2025. 39 SECTION 4. An emergency is declared for this act. 2024 IN 1257—LS 6978/DI 119