Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H542 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2108 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 542
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Marjorie C. Decker
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act expanding access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex1/15/2025Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/30/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2108 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 542
18	18	By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 542) of
19	19	Marjorie C. Decker and Sal N. DiDomenico for legislation to expand access to family, friend,
20	20	and neighbor-provided childcare administered by the Department of Early Education and Care.
21	21	Education.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act expanding access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 1A of Chapter 15D, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is
31	31	2hereby amended by inserting the following definitions:--
32	32	3 “Family, Friend and Neighbor Care” or “FFN Care” means child care which is exempt
33	33	4from licensure by the department because the individual caregiver either provides care in the
34	34	5child’s own home or is a relative of the child, other than family child care home care.
35	35	6 “FFN Caregiver” means a person providing FFN Care.
36	36	7 SECTION 2. Section 2 of said chapter 15D, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
37	37	8inserting after subsection (u) the following subsections:--
38	38	9 (v) in addition to the department’s obligations under subsection (e), establish a payment
39	39	10structure for FFN caregivers that (1) ensures families with child care vouchers, or other available
40	40	11funding mechanisms, have full use of the daily value of such vouchers or other mechanisms; (2) 2 of 4
41	41	12is based on payment at an hourly rate; and (3) provides for a minimum hourly rate of
42	42	13compensation for FFN caregivers that is equal or greater to the minimum hourly wage required
43	43	14by section 1 of chapter 151. A public hearing under chapter 30A and the approval of the board
44	44	15shall be required before the establishment or revision of the payment structure;
45	45	16 SECTION 3.
46	46	17 (1) The department shall, within 60 days of the passage of this act, convene a state
47	47	18advisory committee on FFN Care, the members of which shall represent a reasonable geographic
48	48	19balance and shall reflect the diversity of the commonwealth in race, ethnicity, gender and sexual
49	49	20orientation. Members of the advisory committee shall, at minimum, include one person from
50	50	21each of the following organizations, or their successor organizations, if applicable: Care That
51	51	22Works, Inc., New England United for Justice; Service Employees International Union Local 509;
52	52	23the Child Care Resource and Referral Network; and three or more FFN caregivers chosen by the
53	53	24commissioner.
54	54	25 (2) Additional committee members may also be recommended by the commissioner and
55	55	26appointed by the board. All appointees shall have special expertise, experience or interest in FFN
56	56	27care and shall represent a mix of representatives of the FFN community, the civic, labor, and
57	57	28business communities, academics, parents, teachers, social service providers, and health care
58	58	29providers.
59	59	30 (3) Members of the committee shall not, by virtue of their membership, be considered
60	60	31state employees under chapter 268A. The members of the committee shall serve without
61	61	32compensation but may be reimbursed, subject to appropriation, for expenses necessarily and 3 of 4
62	62	33reasonably incurred in the performance of their responsibilities. Members shall be appointed for
63	63	34a 1 year period, after which the committee shall be disbanded by the department.
64	64	35 (4) The committee shall hold at least 4 public hearings and 4 public meetings in its first
65	65	36year of establishment to collect information on, discuss, and consider the following with respect
66	66	37to FFN care:
67	67	38 a. Ensure adequate representation of FFN care in the department’s governance and
68	68	39decision-making;
69	69	40 b. Ensuring adequate resources for FFN care including but not limited to regional child
70	70	41care resource and referral agencies for program administration and supportive services;
71	71	42 c. Accessible application process timelines and requirements for reimbursement of FFN
72	72	43care;
73	73	44 d. Models to extend reimbursable voucher hours for children to access formal group
74	74	45programs, even if also using the voucher for off-hour care with FFN caregivers;
75	75	46 e. Adjusting existing resource programs to be relevant to and accessible to FFN
76	76	47caregivers and creating new resources and programs as needed to address needs and challenges
77	77	48unique to FFN caregivers;
78	78	49 f. Goals, objectives, and reporting requirements pertaining to FFN caregivers for
79	79	50inclusion in the department’s next 5-year strategic action plan;
80	80	51 g. Definitions and indicators of quality appropriate to FFN care and culturally responsive
81	81	52approaches to quality improvement for FFN caregivers; 4 of 4
82	82	53 h. Inclusion of FFN care in career ladder and workforce development frameworks and
83	83	54programs;
84	84	55 i. Effective outreach and communication practices to inform the public about FFN care,
85	85	56requirements, and resources;
86	86	57 j. Legislative and regulatory amendments to further support FFN care in the
87	87	58Commonwealth; and
88	88	59 k. Department structures, representation and expertise required to effectively implement
89	89	60and oversee and evaluate changes recommended by the committee relative to FFN care.
90	90	61 (5) The advisory committee shall file a report with the commissioner which shall be
91	91	62forwarded to the clerks of the house and the senate, and the chairs of the house and senate
92	92	63committees on ways and means, and the joint committee on education, with respect to the
93	93	64committee’s findings on the issues considered under subsection 4.