B26-0398 • 2025

Increasing Support for Grandparent and Close Relative Caregivers Amendment Act of 2025

Children

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Parker
Last action: 2026-06-26
Official status: Official Law
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact date of applicability depends on when the Chief Financial Officer certifies inclusion in an approved budget and publishes notice in the DC Register.

Increasing Support for Grandparent and Close Relative Caregivers Amendment Act of 2026

This law removes the six-year time limit on subsidies for grandparent and close relative caregivers in Washington, D.C., sets a minimum monthly subsidy amount starting in Fiscal Year 2027, and requires annual adjustments based on inflation.

What This Bill Does

Removes the rule that limits subsidies to a maximum of 60 months (5 years).
Sets a minimum subsidy amount of $38.00 per month starting in Fiscal Year 2027.
Requires the Mayor to adjust the subsidy amount every year based on inflation.
Updates two existing laws: the Grandparent Caregivers Pilot Programs Establishment Act of 2005 and the Close Relative Caregiver Subsidy Pilot Program Establishment Amendment Act of 2019.

Who It Names or Affects

Grandparents who care for children in their custody.
Close relatives who serve as caregivers under existing D.C. subsidy programs.
The Mayor, who must set the specific subsidy amounts by rule.
District agencies responsible for managing caregiver subsidies.

Terms To Know

Subsidy: Money provided by the government to help pay for child care costs.
Inflation adjustment: Increasing a payment amount each year to match rising prices in the economy.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not take effect until its cost is included in an approved budget and financial plan.
The exact dollar amount of the subsidy above $38.00 depends on rules created by the Mayor.

Bill History

2026-06-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Law L26-0128, Effective from Jun 11, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 008882
2026-05-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Act A26-0308 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 006823
2026-04-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0308
2026-04-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Transmitted to Congress
2026-04-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Returned from Mayor
2026-04-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 28, 2026
2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2026-01-27 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Committee Mark-up of B26-0398 by the Youth Affairs Committee
2025-11-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Public Hearing on B26-0398 View Public Hearing Record
2025-10-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-10-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary by Youth Affairs
2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0398 Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Referred to Committee on Youth Affairs
2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
B26-0398 Introduced by Councilmember Parker at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Increasing Support for Grandparent and Close Relative Caregivers Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED ORIGINAL

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
APRIL 29, 2026
‘ToamendtheGrandparentCaregiversPilotProgramsEstablishmentActof2005toincreasetherateofsubsidyprovidedtograndparentandclosesrelativecaregiversandtoannuallyadjustthesubsidyforinflation;andtoamendtheCloseRelativeCaregiverSubsidyPilotProgramEstablishmentAmendmentActof2019tomakeconformingchanges.
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthis
actmaybecitedasthe“IncreasingSupportforGrandparentandCloseRelativeCaregivers
AmendmentActof2026”.
Sec.2.TheGrandparentCaregiversPilotProgramsEstablishmentActof2005,effective
March8,2006(D.C.Law16-69;D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.01efseq.),isamendedasfollows:(a)Section103(4)(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.03(i))isamendedbystrikingthephrase“,foraperiodofnotmorethan60months,any”andinsertingtheword“any”initsplace.(b)Section104(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.04)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Subsection(b)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(b)Pursuanttosection106,theMayorshallestablishbyruletheamountofasubsidyagrandparentorrelativecaregiveriseligibletoreceiveunderthisact;provided,thatthesubsidyshallbenolessthantheamountof$38.00inFiscalYear2027andadjustedforinflation
annuallythereafter.”(2)Subsection(c)isrepealed.

Sec.3.TitleIoftheCloseRelativeCaregiverSubsidyPilotProgramEstablishment
AmendmentActof2019,effectiveNovember26,2019(D.C.Law23-32;D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.21etseq.),isamendedasfollows:(a)Section103()(D.C,OfficialCode§4-251.23(j))isamendedbystrikingthephrase“,foraperiodofnomorethan60months,any”andinsertingtheword“any”initsplace.(b)Seotion104(c)(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.24(c))isrepealed.
Sec.4.Applicability.

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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
TN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
‘ToamendtheGrandparentCaregiversPilotProgramsEstablishmentActof2005toincreasetherateofsubsidyprovidedtograndparentandclosesrelativecaregiversandtoannuallyadjustthesubsidyforinflation;andtoamendtheCloseRelativeCaregiverSubsidyPilotProgramEstablishmentAmendmentActof2019tomakeconformingchanges.
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“IncreasingSupportforGrandparentandCloseRelativeCaregivers
AmendmentActof2026”.
Sec.2.TheGrandparentCaregiversPilotProgramsEstablishmentActof2005,effectiveMarch8,2006(D.C.Law16-69;D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.01etseq.),isamendedasfollows:(a)Section103)(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.03(i))isamendedbystrikingthephrase*,
foraperiodofnotmorethan60months,any”andinsertingtheword“any”initsplace.(b)Section104(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.04)isamendedasfollows:(1)Subsection(b)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(b)Pursuanttosection106,theMayorshallestablishbyruletheamountofa subsidya
grandparentorrelativecaregiveriseligibletoreceiveunderthisact;provided,thatthesubsidyshallbenolessthantheamountof$38.00inFiscalYear2027andadjustedforinflation
annuallythereafter.”(2)Subsection(c)isrepealed.

Sec.3.TitleIof theClose RelativeCaregiverSubsidy PilotProgram Establishment
Amendment Actof 2019, effectiveNovember 26,2019 (D.C.Law 23-32;D.C. OfficialCode §
4-251.21etseq.),isamended as follows:
(a)Section103(§)(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.23G))isamendedbystrikingthephrase“,foraperiodofnomorethan60months,any”andinsertingtheword“any”initsplace.
(b)Section104(c)(D.C.OfficialCode§4-251.24(@))isrepealed.
Sec.4.Applicability.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(a)Thisactshallapplyuponthedateofinclusionofitsfiscaleffectinanapproved
budgetandfinancialplan.(b)TheChiefFinancialOfficershallcertifythedateoftheinclusionofthefiscaleffectin
anapprovedbudgetandfinancialplanandprovidenoticetotheBudgetDirectoroftheCouncil
of the certification.
(c)(1)TheBudgetDirectorshallcausethenoticeofthecertificationtobepublishedin
theDistrictofColumbiaRegister.(2)Thedateofpublicationofthenoticeofthecertificationshallnotaffectthe
applicabilityofthisact.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCouneiladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,
approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813:D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
‘rman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
Mayor
DistrictofColumbiaAPRIL 24, 2026

[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

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CERTIFICATIONRECORD
eT Date