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HB419 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.

Children
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Griffith
Last action
2026-06-30
Official status
Passed 6/30/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Automatic Child Care Help for Foster Children

This law makes children placed in foster care automatically eligible for the state's Purchase of Care program.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes children automatically eligible for the Purchase of Care program when they are placed in foster care.
  • Defines 'Purchase of Care' as the state's childcare subsidy program that provides financial support to families needing assistance paying for child care.
  • Requires the Department of Health and Social Services to create rules about how to check eligibility with DSCYF, including what documents are needed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children placed in foster care under DSCYF custody.
  • The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS).
  • The Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF).

Terms To Know

Purchase of Care
A state program that gives money to help families pay for child care.
Foster care
Care given by an approved individual or couple for a child in the custody of DSCYF.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not state when it will officially start working.
  • The specific rules and documents needed are not listed yet because they must be written by state agencies later.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA 1

1 • Griffith

Passed 6/11/26

Plain English: This amendment expands automatic eligibility for childcare assistance to include children certified by DSCYF as needing 'Purchase of Care,' even if they are not currently in foster care.

  • The bill now allows a child to automatically qualify for Purchase of Care when the Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families (DSCYF) certifies that the placement requires it.
  • Previously, only children placed in foster care were guaranteed this automatic eligibility under the original text.
  • The amendment does not define specific rules or criteria for how DSCYF decides to certify a child's need outside of standard foster care placements.
  • It is unclear exactly which types of family situations, such as living with fictive kin, will qualify without further details from the department.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-30 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

  2. 2026-06-17 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 7 Favorable

  3. 2026-06-11 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment HA 1 to HB 419 - Passed In House by Voice Vote

  4. 2026-06-11 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT

  5. 2026-06-11 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate

  6. 2026-06-04 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment HA 1 to HB 419 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  7. 2026-05-20 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 5 Favorable, 7 On Its Merits

  8. 2026-05-13 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.
This Act provides that a child is automatically eligible for Purchase of Care upon placement in foster care.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Griffith & Rep. Heffernan & Rep. K. Williams & Sen. Cruce & Sen. Lockman

Reps. Berry, Gorman, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, Morrison, Ross Levin, Snyder-Hall, Burns, Chukwuocha, Romer; Sens. Buckson, Hoffner, Hansen, Huxtable, Pinkney, Poore, Seigfried, Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 419

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Subchapter VII, Chapter 3, Title 31 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 393A. Automatic eligibility for child care assistance; children in foster care.

(a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) “Department” means Department of Health and Social Services.

(2) “DSCYF” means the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.

(3) “Foster care” means care provided by an individual or couple for a child who is in DSCYF custody under Chapter 25 of Title 13. All foster care providers must be approved by DSCYF or a licensed agency.

(4) “Purchase of Care” means the State’s childcare subsidy program that provides financial support to eligible Delaware families who need assistance paying for child care.

(b) A child is automatically eligible for Purchase of Care upon the placement of the child in foster care.

(c) The Department shall promulgate regulations on processes for verification of eligibility for children meeting the circumstances outlined in subsection (b) of this section in coordination with DSCYF, including required documents.

SYNOPSIS

This Act provides that a child is automatically eligible for Purchase of Care upon placement in foster care.