SB20

Early childhood care and education; Child Care Subsidy Program; income-based eligibility for assistance; development and implementation of phased reduction model; report. Requires the Department of Education to develop and implement a phased reduction model for the Child Care Subsidy Program (the Program) that provides for an assistance phase-out period during which the assistance for which a given family is eligible is reduced in proportion to increases in such family's income for the purpose of ensuring that no family receiving child care assistance under the Program experiences a sudden loss in eligibility for assistance as a result of an increase in family income. The bill requires the phased reduction model developed and implemented by the Department to consist of incremental income tiers, with each increase in income tier corresponding to a proportional reduction in the percentage of assistance for which a given family is eligible under the Program. The bill directs the Board of Education to (i) promulgate regulations for the development and implementation of the phased reduction model in accordance with the provisions of the bill and (ii) submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services any amendments to the current Child Care and Development Fund Plan for Virginia as are necessary to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill requires the Department of Education to provide an interim report to the General Assembly by October 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, and a summative report to the General Assembly by April 1, 2027.