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