Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5193 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- H 5193
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7	7	LC000592
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- RHODE ISLAND CHILDCARE ESSENTIAL ACT
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Diaz, Slater, McNamara, Caldwell, Shallcross Smith,
17	17	Ackerman, Kazarian, Casimiro, Cruz, and Donovan
18	18	Date Introduced: January 19, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Finance
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Title 40 of the General Laws entitled "HUMAN SERVICES" is hereby 1
24	24	amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 2
25	25	CHAPTER 6.7 3
26	26	RHODE ISLAND CHILDCARE ESSENTIAL ACT 4
27	27	40-6.7-1. Legislative findings. 5
28	28	The general assembly finds that: 6
29	29	(1) Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is essential to support labor force 7
30	30	participation of parents with children from infancy through age twelve (12) years and to maximize 8
31	31	the economic productivity of the state. 9
32	32	(2) Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is essential for all parents to achieve 10
33	33	economic security and independence, particularly for mothers who often have lower lifetime 11
34	34	earnings because they earn lower wages, work reduced hours, and take longer breaks from work in 12
35	35	order to care for children. 13
36	36	(3) High-quality childcare programs, staffed by qualified and effective educators, are 14
37	37	essential for children to promote healthy development and optimize learning during early childhood 15
38	38	and school-age years. 16
39	39	(4) A landmark 2015 report by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council 17
40	40	found that children begin learning at birth and the adults that provide for the care and education of 18
41	41	children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning -- setting the critical 19
42	42
43	43
44	44	LC000592 - Page 2 of 12
45	45	foundation for lifelong progress. The report recommends that states work to increase the 1
46	46	qualifications and compensation of childcare educators, including those who care for infants and 2
47	47	toddlers. 3
48	48	(5) Childcare educators are among the lowest paid workers in Rhode Island. In 2021, the 4
49	49	median wage of a childcare educator in Rhode Island was thirteen dollars and twenty-six cents 5
50	50	($13.26) per hour. As the state minimum wage increases, childcare programs will need additional 6
51	51	revenue to comply with the minimum wage rules and to pay higher wages to attract and retain 7
52	52	qualified and effective educators. 8
53	53	(6) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides significant funding to 9
54	54	Rhode Island through the Child Care and Development Block Grant and has established clear 10
55	55	guidelines for setting rates that provide low-income families with "equal access" to the childcare 11
56	56	market as required under federal law. The "equal access" guideline is to pay rates equal to or above 12
57	57	the seventy-fifth percentile of a recent market rate survey. 13
58	58	(7) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has also established a clear 14
59	59	guideline for determining whether childcare is affordable. Currently, the federal guideline for 15
60	60	affordability is that families should pay no more than seven percent (7%) of family income for 16
61	61	childcare. Using that guideline, almost all families with young children in the State of Rhode Island 17
62	62	need a subsidy to afford the cost of high-quality childcare staffed by qualified, effective, and fairly-18
63	63	compensated educators. 19
64	64	40-6.7-2. Childcare assistance - Families or assistance units eligible. 20
65	65	(a) The department of human services shall provide appropriate childcare to every 21
66	66	participant who is eligible for cash assistance and who requires childcare in order to meet the work 22
67	67	requirements in accordance with this chapter. 23
68	68	(b) Low-income childcare. The department shall provide childcare to all other families with 24
69	69	incomes at or below eighty-five percent (85%) of the state median income, the low-income family 25
70	70	eligibility benchmark in the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant if, and to the extent, 26
71	71	these other families require childcare in order to work at paid employment and/or to participate in 27
72	72	training, apprenticeship, internship, on-the-job training, work experience, work immersion, or other 28
73	73	job-readiness/job- attachment programs sponsored or funded by the human resource investment 29
74	74	council (governor's workforce board) or state agencies that are part of the coordinated program 30
75	75	system pursuant to § 42-102-11. The department shall also provide childcare assistance to families 31
76	76	with incomes below eighty-five percent (85%) of the state median income when such assistance is 32
77	77	necessary for a member of these families to enroll or maintain enrollment in a Rhode Island public 33
78	78	institution of higher education. 34
79	79
80	80
81	81	LC000592 - Page 3 of 12
82	82	(c) No family/assistance unit shall be eligible for childcare assistance under this chapter if 1
83	83	the combined value of its liquid resources exceeds one million dollars ($1,000,000), which 2
84	84	corresponds to the amount permitted by the federal government under the state plan and set forth 3
85	85	in the administrative rulemaking process by the department. As used in this section "liquid 4
86	86	resources" means any interest(s) in property in the form of cash or other financial instruments or 5
87	87	accounts that are readily convertible to cash or cash equivalents. These resources include, but are 6
88	88	not limited to: cash, bank, credit union, or other financial institution savings, checking, and money 7
89	89	market accounts; certificates of deposit or other time deposits; stocks; bonds; mutual funds; and 8
90	90	other similar financial instruments or accounts. These resources do not include educational savings 9
91	91	accounts, plans, or programs; retirement accounts, plans, or programs; or accounts held jointly with 10
92	92	another adult, not including a spouse. The department is authorized to promulgate rules and 11
93	93	regulations to determine the ownership and source of the funds in the joint account. 12
94	94	(d) The parent or caretaker relative of any family applying for childcare assistance may 13
95	95	voluntarily access the state’s office of child support services for assistance in locating the non - 14
96	96	custodial parent, establishing parentage, establishing a child support and/or medical order, and 15
97	97	enforcement of the order, but this shall not be a requirement to qualify for or access childcare 16
98	98	assistance. 17
99	99	(e) For purposes of this section, "appropriate childcare" means childcare, including infant, 18
100	100	toddler, preschool, nursery school, and school age, that is provided by a person or organization 19
101	101	qualified, approved, and authorized to provide the care by the state agency or agencies designated 20
102	102	to make the determinations in accordance with the provisions set forth in this section. 21
103	103	(f)(1) Families with incomes at or below one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable 22
104	104	federal poverty level guidelines shall be provided with free childcare. Families with incomes 23
105	105	greater than one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable federal poverty guideline shall be 24
106	106	required to pay for some portion of the childcare they receive, according to a sliding-fee scale 25
107	107	adopted by the department in the department's rules, not to exceed seven percent (7%) of income 26
108	108	as defined in subsection (h) of this section. 27
109	109	(2) Families who are receiving childcare assistance and who become ineligible for 28
110	110	childcare assistance as a result of their incomes exceeding eighty-five percent (85%) of state 29
111	111	median income shall continue to be eligible for childcare assistance until their incomes exceeds 30
112	112	one hundred percent (100%) of the state median income. To be eligible, the families must continue 31
113	113	to pay for some portion of the childcare they receive, as indicated in a sliding-fee scale adopted in 32
114	114	the department's rules, not to exceed seven percent (7%) of income as defined in subsection (h) of 33
115	115	this section, and in accordance with other eligibility standards. 34
116	116
117	117
118	118	LC000592 - Page 4 of 12
119	119	(g) In determining the type of childcare to be provided to a family, the department shall 1
120	120	take into account the cost of available childcare options, the suitability of the type of care available 2
121	121	for the child; and the parent's preference as to the type of childcare. 3
122	122	(h) For purposes of this section, “income” for families receiving cash assistance under §§ 4
123	123	40-5.2-10(g)(2) and 40-5.2-10(g)(3), and income for other families shall mean gross, earned, and 5
124	124	unearned income as determined by departmental regulations. 6
125	125	(i) The caseload estimating conference established by chapter 17 of title 35 shall forecast 7
126	126	the expenditures for childcare in accordance with the provisions of § 35-17-1. 8
127	127	(j) In determining eligibility for childcare assistance for children of members of reserve 9
128	128	components called to active duty during a time of conflict, the department shall freeze the family 10
129	129	composition and the family income of the reserve component member as it was in the month prior 11
130	130	to the month of leaving for active duty. This freeze shall continue until the individual is officially 12
131	131	discharged from active duty. 13
132	132	40-6.7-3. Childcare assistance - Rates established. 14
133	133	(a) Effective July 1, 2023, the reimbursement rates to be paid by the department of human 15
134	134	services and the department of children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers and 16
135	135	family childcare homes shall be updated to reflect findings from the most recent Rhode Island 17
136	136	childcare market rate survey and shall be implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality 18
137	137	rating the provider has achieved within the state's quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. 19
138	138	All rates shall meet or exceed the federal equal access benchmark (seventy-fifth percentile of the 20
139	139	most recent Rhode Island childcare market rate survey) and programs that have achieved a high-21
140	140	quality rating shall be paid rates at or above the ninetieth percentile of the most recent Rhode Island 22
141	141	childcare market rate survey. Weekly rates shall be reimbursed as follows: 23
142	142	LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTERS & FAMILY CHILDCARE HOMES 24
143	143	Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 25
144	144	Infant/Toddler $289 $305 $321 $337 $353 26
145	145	Preschool $250 $257 $265 $273 $280 27
146	146	School-Age $238 $241 $244 $247 $250 28
147	147	The reimbursement rates for licensed family childcare providers paid by the department of 29
148	148	human services, and the department of children, youth and families are determined through 30
149	149	collective bargaining. The reimbursement rates for infant/toddler and preschool age children paid 31
150	150	to licensed family childcare providers by both departments is implemented in a tiered manner that 32
151	151	reflects the quality rating the provider has achieved in accordance with § 42-12-23.1. 33
152	152	(b) Beginning July 1, 2023, childcare providers serving infants under age eighteen (18) 34
153	153
154	154
155	155	LC000592 - Page 5 of 12
156	156	months who are receiving childcare assistance shall be paid a differential bonus infant weekly rate 1
157	157	by the department of human services and the department of children, youth, and families to cover 2
158	158	the costs associated with the required staff: child ratio for infants under age eighteen (18) months 3
159	159	when compared to the required staff: child ratio for toddlers ages eighteen (18) months to age three 4
160	160	(3). This weekly differential bonus rate shall range from one hundred thirty-two dollars and fifty 5
161	161	cents ($132.50) to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per week for each infant under eighteen (18) 6
162	162	months added on to the infant/toddler reimbursement rate. 7
163	163	(c) By June 30, 2024, and biennially through June 30, 2034, the department of labor and 8
164	164	training shall conduct an independent survey or certify an independent survey of the then-current 9
165	165	weekly market rates for childcare in Rhode Island and shall forward the weekly market rate survey 10
166	166	to the department of human services. The next survey shall be conducted by June 30, 2036, and 11
167	167	triennially thereafter. The departments of human services and labor and training will jointly 12
168	168	determine the survey criteria including, but not limited to, rate categories and sub-categories. 13
169	169	(d) In order to expand the accessibility and availability of quality childcare, the department 14
170	170	of human services is authorized to establish, by regulation, alternative or incentive rates of 15
171	171	reimbursement for quality enhancements, innovative or specialized childcare, and alternative 16
172	172	methodologies of childcare delivery, including nontraditional delivery systems and collaborations. 17
173	173	(e) Effective January 1, 2027, all childcare providers have the option to be paid every two 18
174	174	(2) weeks and have the option of automatic direct deposit and/or electronic funds transfer of 19
175	175	reimbursement payments. 20
176	176	SECTION 2. Section 40-5.2-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-5.2 entitled "The Rhode 21
177	177	Island Works Program" is hereby repealed. 22
178	178	40-5.2-20. Childcare assistance — Families or assistance units eligible. 23
179	179	(a) The department shall provide appropriate child care to every participant who is eligible 24
180	180	for cash assistance and who requires child care in order to meet the work requirements in 25
181	181	accordance with this chapter. 26
182	182	(b) Low-income child care. The department shall provide child care to all other working 27
183	183	families with incomes at or below two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty level if, and 28
184	184	to the extent, these other families require child care in order to work at paid employment as defined 29
185	185	in the department’s rules and regulations. The department shall also provide child care to families 30
186	186	with incomes below two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty level if, and to the extent, 31
187	187	these families require child care to participate on a short-term basis, as defined in the department’s 32
188	188	rules and regulations, in training, apprenticeship, internship, on-the-job training, work experience, 33
189	189	work immersion, or other job-readiness/job-attachment program sponsored or funded by the human 34
190	190
191	191
192	192	LC000592 - Page 6 of 12
193	193	resource investment council (governor’s workforce board) or state agencies that are part of the 1
194	194	coordinated program system pursuant to § 42-102-11. Effective from January 1, 2021, through June 2
195	195	30, 2022, the department shall also provide childcare assistance to families with incomes below 3
196	196	one hundred eighty percent (180%) of the federal poverty level when such assistance is necessary 4
197	197	for a member of these families to enroll or maintain enrollment in a Rhode Island public institution 5
198	198	of higher education provided that eligibility to receive funding is capped when expenditures reach 6
199	199	$200,000 for this provision. Effective July 1, 2022, the department shall also provide childcare 7
200	200	assistance to families with incomes below two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty level 8
201	201	when such assistance is necessary for a member of these families to enroll or maintain enrollment 9
202	202	in a Rhode Island public institution of higher education. 10
203	203	(c) No family/assistance unit shall be eligible for childcare assistance under this chapter if 11
204	204	the combined value of its liquid resources exceeds one million dollars ($1,000,000), which 12
205	205	corresponds to the amount permitted by the federal government under the state plan and set forth 13
206	206	in the administrative rulemaking process by the department. Liquid resources are defined as any 14
207	207	interest(s) in property in the form of cash or other financial instruments or accounts that are readily 15
208	208	convertible to cash or cash equivalents. These include, but are not limited to: cash, bank, credit 16
209	209	union, or other financial institution savings, checking, and money market accounts; certificates of 17
210	210	deposit or other time deposits; stocks; bonds; mutual funds; and other similar financial instruments 18
211	211	or accounts. These do not include educational savings accounts, plans, or programs; retirement 19
212	212	accounts, plans, or programs; or accounts held jointly with another adult, not including a spouse. 20
213	213	The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to determine the ownership and 21
214	214	source of the funds in the joint account. 22
215	215	(d) As a condition of eligibility for childcare assistance under this chapter, the parent or 23
216	216	caretaker relative of the family must consent to, and must cooperate with, the department in 24
217	217	establishing paternity, and in establishing and/or enforcing child support and medical support 25
218	218	orders for any children in the family receiving appropriate child care under this section in 26
219	219	accordance with the applicable sections of title 15, as amended, unless the parent or caretaker 27
220	220	relative is found to have good cause for refusing to comply with the requirements of this subsection. 28
221	221	(e) For purposes of this section, “appropriate child care” means child care, including infant, 29
222	222	toddler, preschool, nursery school, and school-age, that is provided by a person or organization 30
223	223	qualified, approved, and authorized to provide the care by the state agency or agencies designated 31
224	224	to make the determinations in accordance with the provisions set forth herein. 32
225	225	(f)(1) Families with incomes below one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable federal 33
226	226	poverty level guidelines shall be provided with free child care. Families with incomes greater than 34
227	227
228	228
229	229	LC000592 - Page 7 of 12
230	230	one hundred percent (100%) and less than two hundred percent (200%) of the applicable federal 1
231	231	poverty guideline shall be required to pay for some portion of the child care they receive, according 2
232	232	to a sliding-fee scale adopted by the department in the department’s rules, not to exceed seven 3
233	233	percent (7%) of income as defined in subsection (h) of this section. 4
234	234	(2) Families who are receiving childcare assistance and who become ineligible for 5
235	235	childcare assistance as a result of their incomes exceeding two hundred percent (200%) of the 6
236	236	applicable federal poverty guidelines shall continue to be eligible for childcare assistance until their 7
237	237	incomes exceed three hundred percent (300%) of the applicable federal poverty guidelines. To be 8
238	238	eligible, the families must continue to pay for some portion of the child care they receive, as 9
239	239	indicated in a sliding-fee scale adopted in the department’s rules, not to exceed seven percent (7%) 10
240	240	of income as defined in subsection (h) of this section, and in accordance with all other eligibility 11
241	241	standards. 12
242	242	(g) In determining the type of child care to be provided to a family, the department shall 13
243	243	take into account the cost of available childcare options; the suitability of the type of care available 14
244	244	for the child; and the parent’s preference as to the type of child care. 15
245	245	(h) For purposes of this section, “income” for families receiving cash assistance under § 16
246	246	40-5.2-11 means gross, earned income and unearned income, subject to the income exclusions in 17
247	247	§§ 40-5.2-10(g)(2) and 40-5.2-10(g)(3), and income for other families shall mean gross, earned and 18
248	248	unearned income as determined by departmental regulations. 19
249	249	(i) The caseload estimating conference established by chapter 17 of title 35 shall forecast 20
250	250	the expenditures for child care in accordance with the provisions of § 35-17-1. 21
251	251	(j) In determining eligibility for childcare assistance for children of members of reserve 22
252	252	components called to active duty during a time of conflict, the department shall freeze the family 23
253	253	composition and the family income of the reserve component member as it was in the month prior 24
254	254	to the month of leaving for active duty. This shall continue until the individual is officially 25
255	255	discharged from active duty. 26
256	256	SECTION 3. Section 40-6.2-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-6.2 entitled "Child 27
257	257	Care — State Subsidies" is hereby repealed. 28
258	258	40-6.2-1.1. Rates established. 29
259	259	(a) Through June 30, 2015, subject to the payment limitations in subsection (c), the 30
260	260	maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments of human services and children, youth 31
261	261	and families for licensed childcare centers and licensed family childcare providers shall be based 32
262	262	on the following schedule of the 75th percentile of the 2002 weekly market rates adjusted for the 33
263	263	average of the 75th percentile of the 2002 and the 2004 weekly market rates: 34
264	264
265	265
266	266	LC000592 - Page 8 of 12
267	267	Licensed Childcare Centers 75th Percentile of Weekly 1
268	268	Market Rate 2
269	269	Infant $182.00 3
270	270	Preschool $150.00 4
271	271	School-Age $135.00 5
272	272	Licensed Family Childcare 75th Percentile of Weekly 6
273	273	Providers Market Rate 7
274	274	Infant $150.00 8
275	275	Preschool $150.00 9
276	276	School-Age $135.00 10
277	277	Effective July 1, 2015, subject to the payment limitations in subsection (c), the maximum 11
278	278	reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments of human services and children, youth and 12
279	279	families for licensed childcare centers and licensed family childcare providers shall be based on the 13
280	280	above schedule of the 75th percentile of the 2002 weekly market rates adjusted for the average of 14
281	281	the 75th percentile of the 2002 and the 2004 weekly market rates. These rates shall be increased by 15
282	282	ten dollars ($10.00) per week for infant/toddler care provided by licensed family childcare 16
283	283	providers and license-exempt providers and then the rates for all providers for all age groups shall 17
284	284	be increased by three percent (3%). For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, licensed childcare 18
285	285	centers shall be reimbursed a maximum weekly rate of one hundred ninety-three dollars and sixty-19
286	286	four cents ($193.64) for infant/toddler care and one hundred sixty-one dollars and seventy-one 20
287	287	cents ($161.71) for preschool-age children. 21
288	288	(b) Effective July l, 2018, subject to the payment limitations in subsection (c), the 22
289	289	maximum infant/toddler and preschool-age reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments of 23
290	290	human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall be 24
291	291	implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 25
292	292	the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. 26
293	293	(1) For infant/toddler child care, tier one shall be reimbursed two and one-half percent 27
294	294	(2.5%) above the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier two shall be reimbursed five percent (5%) above 28
295	295	the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier three shall be reimbursed thirteen percent (13%) above the FY 29
296	296	2018 weekly amount, tier four shall be reimbursed twenty percent (20%) above the FY 2018 weekly 30
297	297	amount, and tier five shall be reimbursed thirty-three percent (33%) above the FY 2018 weekly 31
298	298	amount. 32
299	299	(2) For preschool reimbursement rates, tier one shall be reimbursed two and one-half 33
300	300	(2.5%) percent above the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier two shall be reimbursed five percent (5%) 34
301	301
302	302
303	303	LC000592 - Page 9 of 12
304	304	above the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier three shall be reimbursed ten percent (10%) above the FY 1
305	305	2018 weekly amount, tier four shall be reimbursed thirteen percent (13%) above the FY 2018 2
306	306	weekly amount, and tier five shall be reimbursed twenty-one percent (21%) above the FY 2018 3
307	307	weekly amount. 4
308	308	(c) [Deleted by P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 13, § 4.] 5
309	309	(d) By June 30, 2004, and biennially through June 30, 2014, the department of labor and 6
310	310	training shall conduct an independent survey or certify an independent survey of the then-current 7
311	311	weekly market rates for child care in Rhode Island and shall forward the weekly market rate survey 8
312	312	to the department of human services. The next survey shall be conducted by June 30, 2016, and 9
313	313	triennially thereafter. The departments of human services and labor and training will jointly 10
314	314	determine the survey criteria including, but not limited to, rate categories and sub-categories. 11
315	315	(e) In order to expand the accessibility and availability of quality child care, the department 12
316	316	of human services is authorized to establish, by regulation, alternative or incentive rates of 13
317	317	reimbursement for quality enhancements, innovative or specialized child care, and alternative 14
318	318	methodologies of childcare delivery, including nontraditional delivery systems and collaborations. 15
319	319	(f) Effective January 1, 2007, all childcare providers have the option to be paid every two 16
320	320	(2) weeks and have the option of automatic direct deposit and/or electronic funds transfer of 17
321	321	reimbursement payments. 18
322	322	(g) Effective July 1, 2019, the maximum infant/toddler reimbursement rates to be paid by 19
323	323	the departments of human services and children, youth and families for licensed family childcare 20
324	324	providers shall be implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has 21
325	325	achieved within the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Tier one shall be 22
326	326	reimbursed two percent (2%) above the prevailing base rate for step 1 and step 2 providers, three 23
327	327	percent (3%) above prevailing base rate for step 3 providers, and four percent (4%) above the 24
328	328	prevailing base rate for step 4 providers; tier two shall be reimbursed five percent (5%) above the 25
329	329	prevailing base rate; tier three shall be reimbursed eleven percent (11%) above the prevailing base 26
330	330	rate; tier four shall be reimbursed fourteen percent (14%) above the prevailing base rate; and tier 27
331	331	five shall be reimbursed twenty-three percent (23%) above the prevailing base rate. 28
332	332	(h) Through December 31, 2021, the maximum reimbursement rates paid by the 29
333	333	departments of human services, and children, youth and families to licensed childcare centers shall 30
334	334	be consistent with the enhanced emergency rates provided as of June 1, 2021, as follows: 31
335	335	Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 32
336	336	Infant/Toddler $257.54 $257.54 $257.54 $257.54 $273.00 33
337	337	Preschool Age $195.67 $195.67 $195.67 $195.67 $260.00 34
338	338
339	339
340	340	LC000592 - Page 10 of 12
341	341	School Age $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $245.00 1
342	342	2
343	343	The maximum reimbursement rates paid by the departments of human services, and 3
344	344	children, youth and families to licensed family childcare providers shall be consistent with the 4
345	345	enhanced emergency rates provided as of June 1, 2021, as follows: 5
346	346	Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 6
347	347	Infant/Toddler $224.43 $224.43 $224.43 $224.43 $224.43 7
348	348	Preschool Age $171.45 $171.45 $171.45 $171.45 $171.45 8
349	349	School Age $162.30 $162.30 $162.30 $162.30 $162.30 9
350	350	10
351	351	(i) Effective January 1, 2022, the maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the 11
352	352	departments of human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall 12
353	353	be implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 13
354	354	the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Maximum weekly rates shall be 14
355	355	reimbursed as follows: 15
356	356	Licensed Childcare Centers 16
357	357	Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 17
358	358	Infant/Toddler $236.36 $244.88 $257.15 $268.74 $284.39 18
359	359	Preschool $207.51 $212.27 $218.45 $223.50 $231.39 19
360	360	School-Age $180.38 $182.77 $185.17 $187.57 $189.97 20
361	361	The maximum reimbursement rates for licensed family childcare providers paid by the 21
362	362	departments of human services, and children, youth and families is determined through collective 22
363	363	bargaining. The maximum reimbursement rates for infant/toddler and preschool age children paid 23
364	364	to licensed family childcare providers by both departments is implemented in a tiered manner that 24
365	365	reflects the quality rating the provider has achieved in accordance with § 42-12-23.1. 25
366	366	(j) Effective July 1, 2022, the maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments 26
367	367	of human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall be 27
368	368	implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 28
369	369	the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Maximum weekly rates shall be 29
370	370	reimbursed as follows: 30
371	371	Licensed Childcare Centers 31
372	372	Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 32
373	373	Infant/Toddler $265 $270 $282 $289 $300 33
374	374	Infant/Toddler $225 $235 $243 $250 $260 34
375	375
376	376
377	377	LC000592 - Page 11 of 12
378	378	School-Age $200 $205 $220 $238 $250 1
379	379	2
380	380	SECTION 4. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. 3
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382	382	LC000592
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384	384
385	385
386	386	LC000592 - Page 12 of 12
387	387	EXPLANATION
388	388	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
389	389	OF
390	390	A N A C T
391	391	RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- RHODE ISLAND CHILDCA RE ESSENTIAL ACT
392	392	***
393	393	This act would create the Rhode Island Childcare Assistance Program that governs both 1
394	394	family eligibility for the state’s childcare subsidy program and the rates paid to childcare providers 2
395	395	serving families receiving a subsidy. The act would expand eligibility for the program to meet the 3
396	396	federal eligibility benchmark so that families with incomes at or below eighty-five percent (85%) 4
397	397	of the state median income would be eligible. The act would allow families to continue eligibility 5
398	398	until their income exceeds one hundred percent (100%) of the state median income and would make 6
399	399	participation in the state’s child support enforcement program voluntary for the childcare subsidy. 7
400	400	The act would also increase the tiered rates of reimbursement paid for licensed childcare centers to 8
401	401	meet or exceed the federal equal access benchmark and implement a new differential bonus rate 9
402	402	for infants under age eighteen (18) months to cover higher staffing costs for this age group. 10
403	403	This act would take effect on July 1, 2023. 11
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405	405	LC000592
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