EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0868*
SENATE BILL 868
F5 5lr3412
CF 5lr3179
By: Senator Henson
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Substitute Child Care Provider Pool Pilot Program – Established 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Substitute Child Care Provider Pool Pilot Program in 3
the State Department of Education; providing for the purpose, administration, and 4
funding for the Program; and generally relating to the Substitute Child Care 5
Provider Pool Pilot Program. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Education 8
Section 9.5–118 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Education 14
9.5–118. 15
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17
(2) “CHILD CARE FACILITY ” MEANS: 18
(I) A LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTER; 19
(II) A REGISTERED FAMILY CH ILD CARE HOME ; OR 20
(III) A REGISTERED LARGE FAM ILY CHILD CARE HOME . 21 2 SENATE BILL 868
(3) “CHILD CARE PROVIDER ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO PROVIDES 1
CARE FOR A CHILD IN A CHILD CARE FACILIT Y. 2
(4) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE SUBSTITUTE CHILD CARE PROVIDER 3
POOL PILOT PROGRAM. 4
(5) “SUBSTITUTE CHILD CARE PROVIDER POOL ” MEANS ONE OR 5
MORE CHILD CARE PROV IDERS WHO ARE AVAILA BLE TO PROVIDE TEMPO RARY CARE 6
TO CHILDREN AS A SUB STITUTE FOR A REGULA R CHILD CARE PROVIDE R IN A CHILD 7
CARE FACILITY AND WH O: 8
(I) HAVE THE REQUIRED CRE DENTIALS, TRAINING, 9
EXPERIENCE, AND CRIMINAL HISTORY VETTING TO WORK IN A CHILD CARE 10
FACILITY; AND 11
(II) ARE LOCATED IN THE SA ME REGION OF THE STATE AS THE 12
CHILD CARE FACILITY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. 13
(B) (1) THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE CHILD CARE PROVIDER POOL PILOT 14
PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 15
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FACILIT ATE THE 16
CONTINUOUS OPERATION OF CHILD CARE FACILI TIES IN THE STATE BY ENSURING 17
THAT QUALIFIED SUBST ITUTE CHILD CARE PRO VIDERS ARE AVAILABLE TO FILL 18
SHORT–TERM STAFFING NEEDS OF CHILD CARE FACILIT IES ON A TEMPORARY B ASIS. 19
(3) THE PROGRAM SHALL BEGIN JULY 1, 2026, AND END JUNE 30, 20
2030. 21
(C) (1) (I) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SELE CT A NONPROFIT 22
ORGANIZATION TO ADMI NISTER THE PROGRAM THAT MEETS TH E REQUIREMENTS 23
OF THIS SUBSECTION . 24
(II) FOR EACH OF FISCAL YE ARS 2027 THROUGH 2030, THE 25
DEPARTMENT SHALL AWAR D A GRANT OF $350,000 TO THE NONPROFIT 26
ORGANIZATION SELECTE D TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 27
(2) TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ADM INISTER THE PROGRAM AND RECEIVE A 28
GRANT UNDER THIS SEC TION, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON SHALL: 29
(I) BE A PUBLIC BENEFIT C ORPORATION THAT IS E XEMPT 30
FROM TAXATION AS PRO VIDED BY LAW; 31 SENATE BILL 868 3
(II) OPERATE THROUGHOUT TH E STATE; 1
(III) HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKI NG WITH CHILD CARE F ACILITIES 2
OF ALL TYPES; AND 3
(IV) HAVE EXPE RIENCE HELPING INDIV IDUALS MEET THE 4
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS T O WORK AS CHILD CARE PROVIDERS. 5
(D) THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZ ATION SELECTED BY TH E DEPARTMENT 6
SHALL USE THE GRANT TO: 7
(1) ORGANIZE SUBSTITUTE C HILD CARE PROVIDER P OOLS IN AT 8
LEAST THREE REGIONS IN THE STATE, INCLUDING A RURAL , SUBURBAN, AND URBAN 9
AREA; 10
(2) RECRUIT CREDENTIALED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE 11
SUBSTITUTE CHILD CAR E SERVICES IN MULTIP LE CHILD CARE FACILI TIES 12
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM; 13
(3) ASSIST A SUBSTITUTE C HILD CARE PROVIDE R WITH MEETING THE 14
REQUIREMENTS TO WORK IN A CHILD CARE FACI LITY, INCLUDING BY HELPING THE 15
SUBSTITUTE CHILD CAR E PROVIDER: 16
(I) OBTAIN A CRIMINAL HIS TORY RECORDS CHECK , AS 17
REQUIRED UNDER § 5–551 OF THE FAMILY LAW ARTICLE, AS AN EMPLOYEE , A 18
CONTRACTOR , OR A SUBCONTRACTOR OF THE CHILD CARE FACIL ITY; 19
(II) MEET ANY EXPERIENTIAL OR EDUCATIONAL 20
REQUIREMENTS ; AND 21
(III) COMPLETE ANY REQUIRED TRAINING, INCLUDING HEALTH 22
AND SAFETY TRAINING AND FIRST AID TRAINI NG; 23
(4) TO THE EXTENT PRACTIC ABLE, ASSIST A SUBSTITUTE CHILD CAR E 24
PROVIDER IN COMPLETI NG A REGISTERED EARL Y EDUCATION APPRENTI CESHIP; 25
(5) IDENTIFY AND ORGANIZE , INTO REGIONAL AREAS , CHILD CARE 26
FACILITIES THAT AGRE E TO WORK WITH SUBST ITUTE CHILD CARE PRO VIDERS FROM 27
A POOL ESTABLISHED B Y THE PROGRAM; 28
(6) KEEP ANY RECORDS REQU IRED BY THE DEPARTMENT ; AND 29
4 SENATE BILL 868
(7) COMPLY WITH ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS ESTABLI SHED BY THE 1
DEPARTMENT . 2
(E) THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZ ATION SELECTED BY TH E DEPARTMENT MAY 3
USE THE GRANT TO : 4
(1) CREATE A STATEWIDE DI GITAL PLATFORM TO FACILITATE THE 5
MATCHING OF SUBSTITU TE CHILD CARE PROVID ERS FROM THE SUBSTIT UTE CHILD 6
CARE PROVIDER POOL W ITH PARTICIPATING CH ILD CARE FACILITIES , INCLUDING 7
PARTNERING WITH A TH IRD–PARTY VENDOR ; AND 8
(2) INCENTIVIZE PARTICIPA TION IN THE PROGRAM BY QUA LIFIED 9
CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND CHILD CARE FACIL ITIES. 10
(F) FOR EACH OF FISCAL YE ARS 2027 THROUGH 2030, THE GOVERNOR 11
SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF $375,000 FOR 12
THE PROGRAM. 13
(G) EACH YEAR THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP AND PUBLISH GOALS 14
FOR THE PROGRAM. 15
(H) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2029, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REPO RT 16
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 17
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING: 18
(1) AN EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM; AND 19
(2) WHETHER THE PROGRAM HAS MET THE G OALS SET BY THE 20
DEPARTMENT . 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 22
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 5 years and, at the end of June 30, 2030, 23
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 24
of no further force and effect. 25