2025 -- S 0240
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LC000920
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- RHODE ISLAND CHILDCARE IS ESSENTIAL ACT
Introduced By: Senators Vargas, Mack, DiMario, Murray, DiPalma, Lawson, Gallo,
Urso, and Bissaillon
Date Introduced: February 13, 2025
Referred To: Senate Education
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Legislative findings. 1
The general assembly finds that: 2
(1) Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is essential to support labor force 3
participation of parents with children from infancy through age twelve (12) years and to maximize 4
the economic productivity of the state. 5
(2) Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is essential for all parents to achieve 6
economic security and independence, particularly for mothers who often have lower lifetime 7
earnings because they earn lower wages, work reduced hours, and take longer breaks from work in 8
order to care for children. 9
(3) High-quality childcare programs, staffed by qualified and effective educators, are 10
essential for children to promote healthy development and optimize learning during early childhood 11
and school-age years. 12
(4) A landmark report by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council found 13
that children begin learning at birth and the adults that provide for the care and education of children 14
bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning -- setting the critical 15
foundation for lifelong progress. The report recommends that states work to increase the 16
qualifications and compensation of childcare educators, including those who care for infants and 17
toddlers. 18
(5) Childcare educators are among the lowest paid workers in Rhode Island. In 2023, the 19
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median wage of a childcare educator in Rhode Island was sixteen dollars and ninety-one cents 1
($16.91) per hour. 2
(6) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides significant funding to 3
Rhode Island through the Child Care and Development Block Grant and has established clear 4
guidelines for setting rates that provide low-income families with "equal access" to the childcare 5
market as required under federal law. The "equal access" guideline is to pay rates equal to or above 6
the seventy-fifth percentile of a recent market rate survey. 7
(7) The Rhode Island Governor’s Workforce Board recommends that Rhode Island pay 8
child care rates that meet or exceed the equal access standard as a first step to support program 9
quality and to improved wages and retention of child care educators. As of 2024, there were 10
seventeen (17) states that met or exceeded the equal access standard, including New York and 11
Vermont. Rhode Island’s base rate for infant care in a licensed child care center was at the 5th 12
percentile of the 2024 market rate survey, well below the 75th percentile equal access standard. 13
(8) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has also established a clear 14
guideline for determining whether childcare is affordable. Currently, the federal guideline for 15
affordability is that families should pay no more than seven percent (7%) of family income for 16
childcare. Using that guideline, almost all families with young children in the State of Rhode Island 17
need a subsidy to afford the cost of high-quality childcare staffed by qualified, effective, and fairly-18
compensated educators. 19
(9) The Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant focuses on helping lower income 20
families access child care, limiting the use of federal funds to families with incomes at or below 21
eighty-five percent (85%) of the state median income ($106,529) for a family of four in Rhode 22
Island in Federal Fiscal Year 2025), and allows states to waive this limit for children who are 23
members of a protected population such as children in foster care. As of 2024, there were sixteen 24
(16) states that set family income eligibility limits at or above eight-five percent (85%) of state 25
median income, including Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. 26
SECTION 2. Title 40 of the General Laws entitled "HUMAN SERVICES" is hereby 27
amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 28
CHAPTER 6.7 29
RHODE ISLAND CHILDCARE IS ESSENTIAL ACT 30
40-6.7-1. Childcare assistance - Families or assistance units eligible. 31
(a) The department of human services shall provide appropriate childcare to every 32
participant who is eligible for cash assistance and who requires childcare in order to meet the work 33
requirements in accordance with this chapter. 34
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(b) Low-income childcare. The department shall provide childcare to all other families with 1
incomes at or below eighty-five percent (85%) of the state median income, the low-income family 2
eligibility benchmark in the federal Childcare and Development Block Grant if, and to the extent, 3
these other families require childcare in order to work at paid employment and/or to participate in 4
training, apprenticeship, internship, on-the-job training, work experience, work immersion, or other 5
job-readiness/job- attachment programs sponsored or funded by the human resource investment 6
council (governor's workforce board) or state agencies that are part of the coordinated program 7
system pursuant to § 42-102-11. The department shall also provide childcare assistance to families 8
with incomes below eighty-five percent (85%) of the state median income when such assistance is 9
necessary for a member of these families to enroll or maintain enrollment in a Rhode Island public 10
institution of higher education. 11
(c) No family/assistance unit shall be eligible for childcare assistance under this chapter if 12
the combined value of its liquid resources exceeds one million dollars ($1,000,000), which 13
corresponds to the amount permitted by the federal government under the state plan and set forth 14
in the administrative rulemaking process by the department. As used in this section "liquid 15
resources" means any interest(s) in property in the form of cash or other financial instruments or 16
accounts that are readily convertible to cash or cash equivalents. These resources include, but are 17
not limited to: cash, bank, credit union, or other financial institution savings, checking, and money 18
market accounts; certificates of deposit or other time deposits; stocks; bonds; mutual funds; and 19
other similar financial instruments or accounts. These resources do not include educational savings 20
accounts, plans, or programs; retirement accounts, plans, or programs; or accounts held jointly with 21
another adult, not including a spouse. The department is authorized to promulgate rules and 22
regulations to determine the ownership and source of the funds in the joint account. 23
(d) The parent or caretaker relative of any family applying for childcare assistance may 24
voluntarily access the state’s office of child support services for assistance in locating the non-25
custodial parent, establishing parentage, establishing a child support and/or medical order, and 26
enforcement of the order, but this shall not be a requirement to qualify for or access childcare 27
assistance. 28
(e) For purposes of this section, "appropriate childcare" means childcare, including infant, 29
toddler, preschool, nursery school, and school age, that is provided by a person or organization 30
qualified, approved, and authorized to provide the care by the state agency or agencies designated 31
to make the determinations in accordance with the provisions set forth in this section. 32
(f)(1) Families with incomes at or below one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable 33
federal poverty level guidelines shall be provided with free childcare. Families with incomes 34
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greater than one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable federal poverty guideline shall be 1
required to pay for some portion of the childcare they receive, according to a sliding-fee scale 2
adopted by the department in the department's rules, not to exceed seven percent (7%) of income 3
as defined in subsection (h) of this section. 4
(2) Families who are receiving childcare assistance and who become ineligible for 5
childcare assistance as a result of their incomes exceeding eighty-five percent (85%) of state 6
median income shall continue to be eligible for childcare assistance until their incomes exceeds 7
one hundred percent (100%) of the state median income. To be eligible, the families must continue 8
to pay for some portion of the childcare they receive, as indicated in a sliding-fee scale adopted in 9
the department's rules, not to exceed seven percent (7%) of income as defined in subsection (h) of 10
this section, and in accordance with other eligibility standards. 11
(g) In determining the type of childcare to be provided to a family, the department shall 12
take into account the cost of available childcare options, the suitability of the type of care available 13
for the child; and the parent's preference as to the type of childcare. 14
(h) For purposes of this section, “income” for families receiving cash assistance under §§ 15
40-5.2-10(g)(2) and 40-5.2-10(g)(3), and income for other families shall mean gross, earned, and 16
unearned income as determined by departmental regulations. 17
(i) The caseload estimating conference established by chapter 17 of title 35 shall forecast 18
the expenditures for childcare in accordance with the provisions of § 35-17-1. 19
(j) In determining eligibility for childcare assistance for children of members of reserve 20
components called to active duty during a time of conflict, the department shall freeze the family 21
composition and the family income of the reserve component member as it was in the month prior 22
to the month of leaving for active duty. This freeze shall continue until the individual is officially 23
discharged from active duty. 24
40-6.7-2. Childcare assistance - Rates established. 25
(a) Effective July 1, 2025, the rates to be paid by the department of human services and the 26
department of children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers and family childcare 27
homes shall be updated to reflect findings from the 2024 Rhode Island childcare market rate survey 28
and shall be implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has 29
achieved within the state's quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. All rates shall meet or 30
exceed the federal equal access benchmark (seventy-fifth percentile of the most recent Rhode Island 31
childcare market rate survey) and programs that have achieved a high-quality rating shall be paid 32
rates at or above the ninetieth percentile of the most recent Rhode Island childcare market rate 33
survey. Weekly rates shall be paid as follows: 34
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LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTERS & FAMILY CHILDCARE HOMES 1
Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 2
Infant/Toddler $356 $363 $371 $378 $385 3
Preschool $312 $320 $329 $337 $345 4
School-Age $280 $287 $295 $303 $310 5
The rates for licensed family childcare providers paid by the department of human services, 6
and the department of children, youth and families are determined through collective bargaining. 7
The rates for infant/toddler and preschool age children paid to licensed family childcare providers 8
by both departments is implemented in a tiered manner that reflects the quality rating the provider 9
has achieved in accordance with § 42-12-23.1. 10
(b) Beginning July 1, 2025, childcare providers serving infants under age eighteen (18) 11
months who are receiving childcare assistance shall be paid an additional infant bonus rate equal 12
to fifty percent (50%) of the toddler rate by the department of human services and the department 13
of children, youth, and families to help stabilize and expand access to quality infant care and to 14
help cover the costs associated with the required staff: child ratio for infants under age eighteen 15
(18) months. 16
(c) By June 30, 2027, and triennially thereafter, the department of human services in 17
consultation with the department of labor and training shall conduct an independent survey or 18
certify an independent survey of the then-current weekly market rates for childcare in Rhode Island 19
and shall post the findings from the market rate survey on the department's public website. The 20
departments of human services and labor and training will jointly determine the survey criteria 21
including, but not limited to, rate categories and sub-categories. 22
(d) In order to expand the accessibility and availability of quality childcare, the department 23
of human services is authorized to establish, by regulation, alternative or incentive rates for quality 24
enhancements, innovative or specialized childcare, and alternative methodologies of childcare 25
delivery, including nontraditional delivery systems and collaborations. 26
(e) All childcare providers have the option to be paid every two (2) weeks and have the 27
option of automatic direct deposit and/or electronic funds transfer of payments. 28
(f) Effective July 1, 2025, full-time childcare assistance payment rates cover thirty (30) to 29
forty-five (45) hours of care per week. Any child needing forty-five (45) to sixty (60) hours of care 30
per week will be paid at a super full-time rate of at least ten dollars ($10) per hour. No child will 31
be enrolled in the Childcare Assistance Program for more than sixty (60) hours per week. 32
(g) Effective January 1, 2026, all childcare assistance payments to childcare providers shall 33
be paid prospectively, on or before the Friday preceding the beginning of the childcare service 34
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period, based on children’s authorized enrollment. 1
(h) Effective January 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the department of human services 2
shall pay a registration fee for each child enrolled in the childcare assistance program to the 3
childcare centers where the children are enrolled. The per child registration fee for childcare centers 4
shall be equivalent to the per child annual registration fees paid to family childcare providers. 5
SECTION 3. Section 40-5.2-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-5.2 entitled "The Rhode 6
Island Works Program" is hereby repealed. 7
40-5.2-20. Childcare assistance — Families or assistance units eligible. [Effective 8
January 1, 2025.] 9
(a) The department shall provide appropriate child care to every participant who is eligible 10
for cash assistance and who requires child care in order to meet the work requirements in 11
accordance with this chapter. 12
(b) Low-income child care. The department shall provide child care to all other working 13
families with incomes at or below two hundred sixty-one percent (261%) of the federal poverty 14
level if, and to the extent, these other families require child care in order to work at paid 15
employment as defined in the department’s rules and regulations. The department shall also provide 16
child care to families with incomes below two hundred sixty-one percent (261%) of the federal 17
poverty level if, and to the extent, these families require child care to participate on a short-term 18
basis, as defined in the department’s rules and regulations, in training, apprenticeship, internship, 19
on-the-job training, work experience, work immersion, or other job-readiness/job-attachment 20
program sponsored or funded by the human resource investment council (governor’s workforce 21
board) or state agencies that are part of the coordinated program system pursuant to § 42-102-11. 22
Effective from January 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, the department shall also provide childcare 23
assistance to families with incomes below one hundred eighty percent (180%) of the federal poverty 24
level when such assistance is necessary for a member of these families to enroll or maintain 25
enrollment in a Rhode Island public institution of higher education provided that eligibility to 26
receive funding is capped when expenditures reach $200,000 for this provision. Effective July 1, 27
2022 through December 31, 2024, the department shall also provide childcare assistance to families 28
with incomes below two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty level when such assistance 29
is necessary for a member of these families to enroll or maintain enrollment in a Rhode Island 30
public institution of higher education. Effective January 1, 2025, the department shall also provide 31
childcare assistance to families with incomes below two hundred sixty-one percent (261%) of the 32
federal poverty level when such assistance is necessary for a member of these families to enroll or 33
maintain enrollment in a Rhode Island public institution of higher education. 34
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(c) No family/assistance unit shall be eligible for childcare assistance under this chapter if 1
the combined value of its liquid resources exceeds one million dollars ($1,000,000), which 2
corresponds to the amount permitted by the federal government under the state plan and set forth 3
in the administrative rulemaking process by the department. Liquid resources are defined as any 4
interest(s) in property in the form of cash or other financial instruments or accounts that are readily 5
convertible to cash or cash equivalents. These include, but are not limited to: cash, bank, credit 6
union, or other financial institution savings, checking, and money market accounts; certificates of 7
deposit or other time deposits; stocks; bonds; mutual funds; and other similar financial instruments 8
or accounts. These do not include educational savings accounts, plans, or programs; retirement 9
accounts, plans, or programs; or accounts held jointly with another adult, not including a spouse. 10
The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to determine the ownership and 11
source of the funds in the joint account. 12
(d) As a condition of eligibility for childcare assistance under this chapter, the parent or 13
caretaker relative of the family must consent to, and must cooperate with, the department in 14
establishing paternity, and in establishing and/or enforcing child support and medical support 15
orders for any children in the family receiving appropriate child care under this section in 16
accordance with the applicable sections of title 15, as amended, unless the parent or caretaker 17
relative is found to have good cause for refusing to comply with the requirements of this subsection. 18
(e) For purposes of this section, “appropriate child care” means child care, including infant, 19
toddler, preschool, nursery school, and school-age, that is provided by a person or organization 20
qualified, approved, and authorized to provide the care by the state agency or agencies designated 21
to make the determinations in accordance with the provisions set forth herein. 22
(f)(1) Families with incomes below one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable federal 23
poverty level guidelines shall be provided with free child care. Families with incomes greater than 24
one hundred percent (100%) and less than two hundred percent (200%) of the applicable federal 25
poverty guideline shall be required to pay for some portion of the child care they receive, according 26
to a sliding-fee scale adopted by the department in the department’s rules, not to exceed seven 27
percent (7%) of income as defined in subsection (h) of this section. 28
(2) Families who are receiving childcare assistance and who become ineligible for 29
childcare assistance as a result of their incomes exceeding two hundred sixty-one percent (261%) 30
of the applicable federal poverty guidelines shall continue to be eligible for childcare assistance 31
until their incomes exceed three hundred percent (300%) of the applicable federal poverty 32
guidelines. To be eligible, the families must continue to pay for some portion of the child care they 33
receive, as indicated in a sliding-fee scale adopted in the department’s rules, not to exceed seven 34
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percent (7%) of income as defined in subsection (h) of this section, and in accordance with all other 1
eligibility standards. 2
(g) In determining the type of child care to be provided to a family, the department shall 3
take into account the cost of available childcare options; the suitability of the type of care available 4
for the child; and the parent’s preference as to the type of child care. 5
(h) For purposes of this section, “income” for families receiving cash assistance under § 6
40-5.2-11 means gross, earned income and unearned income, subject to the income exclusions in 7
§§ 40-5.2-10(g)(2) and 40-5.2-10(g)(3), and income for other families shall mean gross, earned and 8
unearned income as determined by departmental regulations. 9
(i) The caseload estimating conference established by chapter 17 of title 35 shall forecast 10
the expenditures for child care in accordance with the provisions of § 35-17-1. 11
(j) In determining eligibility for childcare assistance for children of members of reserve 12
components called to active duty during a time of conflict, the department shall freeze the family 13
composition and the family income of the reserve component member as it was in the month prior 14
to the month of leaving for active duty. This shall continue until the individual is officially 15
discharged from active duty. 16
(k) Effective from August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2025, the department shall provide 17
funding for child care for eligible childcare educators, and childcare staff, who work at least twenty 18
(20) hours a week in licensed childcare centers and licensed family childcare homes as defined in 19
the department’s rules and regulations. Eligibility is limited to qualifying childcare educators and 20
childcare staff with family incomes up to three hundred percent (300%) of the applicable federal 21
poverty guidelines and will have no copayments. Qualifying participants may select the childcare 22
center or family childcare home for their children. The department shall promulgate regulations 23
necessary to implement this section, and will collect applicant and participant data to report 24
estimated demand for state-funded child care for eligible childcare educators and childcare staff. 25
The report shall be due to the governor and the general assembly by November 1, 2024. 26
SECTION 4. Section 40-6.2-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-6.2 entitled "Child 27
Care — State Subsidies" is hereby repealed. 28
40-6.2-1.1. Rates established. 29
(a) Through June 30, 2015, subject to the payment limitations in subsection (c), the 30
maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments of human services and children, youth 31
and families for licensed childcare centers and licensed family childcare providers shall be based 32
on the following schedule of the 75th percentile of the 2002 weekly market rates adjusted for the 33
average of the 75th percentile of the 2002 and the 2004 weekly market rates: 34
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Licensed Childcare Centers 75th Percentile of Weekly Market Rate 1
Infant $182.00 2
Preschool $150.00 3
School-Age $135.00 4
Licensed Family Childcare Providers 75th Percentile of Weekly Market Rate 5
Infant $150.00 6
Preschool $150.00 7
School-Age $135.00 8
Effective July 1, 2015, subject to the payment limitations in subsection (c), the maximum 9
reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments of human services and children, youth and 10
families for licensed childcare centers and licensed family childcare providers shall be based on the 11
above schedule of the 75th percentile of the 2002 weekly market rates adjusted for the average of 12
the 75th percentile of the 2002 and the 2004 weekly market rates. These rates shall be increased by 13
ten dollars ($10.00) per week for infant/toddler care provided by licensed family childcare 14
providers and license-exempt providers and then the rates for all providers for all age groups shall 15
be increased by three percent (3%). For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, licensed childcare 16
centers shall be reimbursed a maximum weekly rate of one hundred ninety-three dollars and sixty-17
four cents ($193.64) for infant/toddler care and one hundred sixty-one dollars and seventy-one 18
cents ($161.71) for preschool-age children. 19
(b) Effective July l, 2018, subject to the payment limitations in subsection (c), the 20
maximum infant/toddler and preschool-age reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments of 21
human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall be 22
implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 23
the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. 24
(1) For infant/toddler child care, tier one shall be reimbursed two and one-half percent 25
(2.5%) above the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier two shall be reimbursed five percent (5%) above 26
the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier three shall be reimbursed thirteen percent (13%) above the FY 27
2018 weekly amount, tier four shall be reimbursed twenty percent (20%) above the FY 2018 weekly 28
amount, and tier five shall be reimbursed thirty-three percent (33%) above the FY 2018 weekly 29
amount. 30
(2) For preschool reimbursement rates, tier one shall be reimbursed two and one-half 31
percent (2.5%) above the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier two shall be reimbursed five percent (5%) 32
above the FY 2018 weekly amount, tier three shall be reimbursed ten percent (10%) above the FY 33
2018 weekly amount, tier four shall be reimbursed thirteen percent (13%) above the FY 2018 34
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weekly amount, and tier five shall be reimbursed twenty-one percent (21%) above the FY 2018 1
weekly amount. 2
(c) [Deleted by P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 13, § 4.] 3
(d) By June 30, 2004, and biennially through June 30, 2014, the department of labor and 4
training shall conduct an independent survey or certify an independent survey of the then-current 5
weekly market rates for child care in Rhode Island and shall forward the weekly market rate survey 6
to the department of human services. The next survey shall be conducted by June 30, 2016, and 7
triennially thereafter. The departments of human services and labor and training will jointly 8
determine the survey criteria including, but not limited to, rate categories and sub-categories. 9
(e) In order to expand the accessibility and availability of quality child care, the department 10
of human services is authorized to establish, by regulation, alternative or incentive rates of 11
reimbursement for quality enhancements, innovative or specialized child care, and alternative 12
methodologies of childcare delivery, including nontraditional delivery systems and collaborations. 13
(f) Effective January 1, 2007, all childcare providers have the option to be paid every two 14
(2) weeks and have the option of automatic direct deposit and/or electronic funds transfer of 15
reimbursement payments. 16
(g) Effective July 1, 2019, the maximum infant/toddler reimbursement rates to be paid by 17
the departments of human services and children, youth and families for licensed family childcare 18
providers shall be implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has 19
achieved within the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Tier one shall be 20
reimbursed two percent (2%) above the prevailing base rate for step 1 and step 2 providers, three 21
percent (3%) above prevailing base rate for step 3 providers, and four percent (4%) above the 22
prevailing base rate for step 4 providers; tier two shall be reimbursed five percent (5%) above the 23
prevailing base rate; tier three shall be reimbursed eleven percent (11%) above the prevailing base 24
rate; tier four shall be reimbursed fourteen percent (14%) above the prevailing base rate; and tier 25
five shall be reimbursed twenty-three percent (23%) above the prevailing base rate. 26
(h) Through December 31, 2021, the maximum reimbursement rates paid by the 27
departments of human services, and children, youth and families to licensed childcare centers shall 28
be consistent with the enhanced emergency rates provided as of June 1, 2021, as follows: 29
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 30
Infant/Toddler $257.54 $257.54 $257.54 $257.54 $273.00 31
Preschool Age $195.67 $195.67 $195.67 $195.67 $260.00 32
School Age $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $245.00 33
The maximum reimbursement rates paid by the departments of human services, and 34
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children, youth and families to licensed family childcare providers shall be consistent with the 1
enhanced emergency rates provided as of June 1, 2021, as follows: 2
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 3
Infant/Toddler $224.43 $224.43 $224.43 $224.43 $224.43 4
Preschool Age $171.45 $171.45 $171.45 $171.45 $171.45 5
School Age $162.30 $162.30 $162.30 $162.30 $162.30 6
(i) Effective January 1, 2022, the maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the 7
departments of human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall 8
be implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 9
the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Maximum weekly rates shall be 10
reimbursed as follows: 11
Licensed Childcare Centers 12
Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 13
Infant/Toddler $236.36 $244.88 $257.15 $268.74 $284.39 14
Preschool $207.51 $212.27 $218.45 $223.50 $231.39 15
School-Age $180.38 $182.77 $185.17 $187.57 $189.97 16
The maximum reimbursement rates for licensed family childcare providers paid by the 17
departments of human services, and children, youth and families is determined through collective 18
bargaining. The maximum reimbursement rates for infant/toddler and preschool age children paid 19
to licensed family childcare providers by both departments is implemented in a tiered manner that 20
reflects the quality rating the provider has achieved in accordance with § 42-12-23.1. 21
(j) Effective July 1, 2022, the maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments 22
of human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall be 23
implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 24
the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Maximum weekly rates shall be 25
reimbursed as follows: 26
Licensed Childcare Centers 27
Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 28
Infant/Toddler $265 $270 $282 $289 $300 29
Preschool $225 $235 $243 $250 $260 30
School-Age $200 $205 $220 $238 $250 31
(k) Effective July 1, 2024, the maximum reimbursement rates to be paid by the departments 32
of human services and children, youth and families for licensed childcare centers shall be 33
implemented in a tiered manner, reflective of the quality rating the provider has achieved within 34
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the state’s quality rating system outlined in § 42-12-23.1. Maximum weekly rates shall be 1
reimbursed as follows: 2
Licensed Childcare Centers 3
Tier One Tier Two Tier Three Tier Four Tier Five 4
Infant/Toddler $278 $284 $296 $303 $315 5
Preschool $236 $247 $255 $263 $273 6
School-Age $210 $215 $231 $250 $263 7
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 8
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- RHODE ISLAND CHILDCARE IS ESSENTIAL ACT
***
This act would create the Rhode Island Childcare Assistance Program that governs both 1
family eligibility for the state’s childcare subsidy program and the rates paid to childcare providers 2
serving families receiving a subsidy. The act would expand eligibility for the program to meet the 3
federal eligibility benchmark so that families with incomes at or below eighty-five percent (85%) 4
of the state median income would be eligible. The act would allow families to continue eligibility 5
until their income exceeds one hundred percent (100%) of the state median income and would make 6
participation in the state’s child support enforcement program voluntary for the childcare subsidy. 7
The act would also increase the tiered rates of paid for licensed childcare centers to meet or exceed 8
the federal equal access benchmark, implement a new differential bonus rate for infants under age 9
eighteen (18) months and adopt fair payment practices consistent with the federal rules for the Child 10
Care and Development Fund. 11
This act would take effect on July 1, 2025. 12
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