Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S341 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1786 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 341
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Sal N. DiDomenico
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 :Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1786 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 341
18	18	By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 341) of Sal N. DiDomenico
19	19	for legislation to expand access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare administered
20	20	by the Department of Early Education and Care. Education.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 456 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act expanding access to family, friend, and neighbor-provided childcare.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Section 1A of Chapter 15D, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is
32	32	2hereby amended by inserting the following definitions:-
33	33	3 “Family, Friend and Neighbor Care” or “FFN Care” means child care which is exempt
34	34	4from licensure by the department because the individual caregiver either provides care in the
35	35	5child’s own home or is a relative of the child, other than family child care home care.
36	36	6 “FFN Caregiver” means a person providing FFN Care.
37	37	7 SECTION 2. Section 2 of said chapter 15D, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
38	38	8inserting after subsection (u) the following subsections:-- 2 of 4
39	39	9 (v) in addition to the department’s obligations under subsection (e), establish a payment
40	40	10structure for FFN caregivers that (1) ensures families with child care vouchers, or other available
41	41	11funding mechanisms, have full use of the daily value of such vouchers or other mechanisms; (2)
42	42	12is based on payment at an hourly rate; and (3) provides for a minimum hourly rate of
43	43	13compensation for FFN caregivers that is equal or greater to the minimum hourly wage required
44	44	14by section 1 of chapter 151. A public hearing under chapter 30A and the approval of the board
45	45	15shall be required before the establishment or revision of the payment structure;
46	46	16 SECTION 3. (1) The department shall, within 60 days of the passage of this act, convene
47	47	17a state advisory committee on FFN Care, the members of which shall represent a reasonable
48	48	18geographic balance and shall reflect the diversity of the commonwealth in race, ethnicity, gender
49	49	19and sexual orientation. Members of the advisory committee shall, at minimum, include one
50	50	20person from each of the following organizations, or their successor organizations, if applicable:
51	51	21Care That Works, Inc., New England United for Justice; Service Employees International Union
52	52	22Local 509; the Child Care Resource and Referral Network; and three or more FFN caregivers
53	53	23chosen by the commissioner.
54	54	24 (2) Additional committee members may also be recommended by the commissioner and
55	55	25appointed by the board. All appointees shall have special expertise, experience or interest in FFN
56	56	26care and shall represent a mix of representatives of the FFN community, the civic, labor, and
57	57	27business communities, academics, parents, teachers, social service providers, and health care
58	58	28providers.
59	59	29 (3) Members of the committee shall not, by virtue of their membership, be considered
60	60	30state employees under chapter 268A. The members of the committee shall serve without 3 of 4
61	61	31compensation but may be reimbursed, subject to appropriation, for expenses necessarily and
62	62	32reasonably incurred in the performance of their responsibilities. Members shall be appointed for
63	63	33a 1 year period, after which the committee shall be disbanded by the department.
64	64	34 (4) The committee shall hold at least 4 public hearings and 4 public meetings in its first
65	65	35year of establishment to collect information on, discuss, and consider the following with respect
66	66	36to FFN care:
67	67	37 a. Ensure adequate representation of FFN care in the department’s governance and
68	68	38decision-making;
69	69	39 b. Ensuring adequate resources for FFN care including but not limited to regional child
70	70	40care resource and referral agencies for program administration and supportive services;
71	71	41 c. Accessible application process timelines and requirements for reimbursement of FFN
72	72	42care;
73	73	43 d. Models to extend reimbursable voucher hours for children to access formal group
74	74	44programs, even if also using the voucher for off-hour care with FFN caregivers;
75	75	45 e. Adjusting existing resource programs to be relevant to and accessible to FFN
76	76	46caregivers and creating new resources and programs as needed to address needs and challenges
77	77	47unique to FFN caregivers;
78	78	48 f. Goals, objectives, and reporting requirements pertaining to FFN caregivers for
79	79	49inclusion in the department’s next 5-year strategic action plan;
80	80	50 g. Definitions and indicators of quality appropriate to FFN care and culturally responsive
81	81	51approaches to quality improvement for FFN caregivers; 4 of 4
82	82	52 h. Inclusion of FFN care in career ladder and workforce development frameworks and
83	83	53programs;
84	84	54 i. Effective outreach and communication practices to inform the public about FFN care,
85	85	55requirements, and resources;
86	86	56 j. Legislative and regulatory amendments to further support FFN care in the
87	87	57Commonwealth; and
88	88	58 k. Department structures, representation and expertise required to effectively implement
89	89	59and oversee and evaluate changes recommended by the committee relative to FFN care.
90	90	60 (5) The advisory committee shall file a report with the commissioner which shall be
91	91	61forwarded to the clerks of the house and the senate, and the chairs of the house and senate
92	92	62committees on ways and means, and the joint committee on education, with respect to the
93	93	63committee’s findings on the issues considered under subsection 4.