Childcare services: workday.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not specify an effective date for these changes.

Expanding Childcare Services During Parental Leave

AB-904 changes the definition of 'workday' to include times when parents need childcare while searching for a job, during pregnancy-related leave, or providing care for family members on paid leave. It also updates eligibility requirements and requires self-certification forms.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the definition of 'workday' to include time needed for childcare due to parental search for employment, pregnancy-related leave, or caring for a family member during paid leave.
• Expands eligibility for childcare services if parents are on pregnancy or family leave and need care while seeking or maintaining employment.
• Requires parents on family and medical leave to sign an attestation form under penalty of perjury stating they are on leave.

Who It Names or Affects

• Parents who need childcare while searching for employment, during pregnancy-related leave, or providing care for family members on paid leave.
• Families eligible for childcare services if parents are employed or seeking employment and are on family and medical leave.

Terms To Know

Workday

The time when a parent needs temporary care for their child, including while searching for a job, during pregnancy-related leave, or providing care for a family member on paid leave.

Parental incapacity

A situation where a parent cannot provide care and supervision of the child due to specified leaves or other incapacities.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify an effective date, so it is unclear when these changes will take effect.
• It imposes penalties for false statements on self-attestation forms under penalty of perjury.

Official Summary Text

AB 904, as amended, Aguiar-Curry.
Childcare services: workday.
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, requires the department to administer childcare and development programs that offer a full range of services to eligible children from infancy to 13 years of age, inclusive. Existing law designates the department as the single state agency responsible for the promotion, development, and provision of care of children in the absence of their parents during the workday. Existing law defines “workday” for purposes of the act to mean the time that a parent requires temporary care for a child for specified reasons, including to undertake training in preparation for a job or to undertake or retain a job.
This bill would revise “workday” to additionally include the time that a parent requires temporary care for a child to search for a
job, provide care for oneself during a pregnancy-related leave from work, or provide care for a family member during a period of paid family leave. The bill would also additionally define “parental incapacity” to mean the temporary or permanent inability of a child’s parent or parents to provide care and supervision of the child for any part of the day, including due to specified
leaves.
conditions.
Existing law requires that parents meet at least one specified requirement in specified areas, including that they are a current aid recipient, income eligible, and the family needs the childcare services because the parents are engaged in vocational training or
incapacitated.
incapacitated or are employed or seeking employment.
The bill would additionally include that a family may be eligible for services if a parent is
on pregnancy or family leave.
employed or seeking employment, including while on family and medical leave from employment.
The bill would additionally
authorize a parent to sign an attestation form stating that they are on leave and that being on leave does not require a medical incapacity form.
require that, at the time of certification or recertification, if a parent is on family and medical leave from employment, the parent provide
a self-attestation form, signed under penalty of perjury, that they are on leave.
By expanding the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF