Tennessee House Bill HB1962

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/24
• Refer: 1/25/24
• Refer: 3/26/24
• Refer: 4/3/24

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to child care.

Impact

The introduction of HB1962 is expected to impact state laws concerning child care by providing a structured approach to determining day care costs. The bill seeks to take into account various factors influencing child care costs, such as staff salaries, training requirements, and quality levels among providers. By formalizing the cost estimation process, the bill aims to improve accountability and transparency in the reimbursement process for families in need of financial assistance for child care services.

Summary

House Bill 1962 aims to amend several sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated regarding child care. The primary focus of the bill is to establish a comprehensive cost estimation model for day care rates that the Department of Human Services will perform annually. This model will help determine an appropriate reimbursement amount for low-income families relying on day care centers, family day care homes, or group day care homes for child or infant care. The results of this model and requested budget amounts will be reported to the governor and general assembly each year by October 1.

Contention

Although specific points of contention are not detailed in the documents, there may be discussions around the effectiveness of the proposed cost estimation model and how it could impact day care providers and low-income families. Stakeholders may have varying perspectives on what factors should be prioritized in the cost estimation and the anticipated adequacy of reimbursements to meet real-world child care costs. Furthermore, the implications for state budget allocations and regulatory oversight could also be points of discussion as the bill progresses.