An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in children and youth, providing for child-care center assistance grants.

PRINTER'S NO. 2006
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1653
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, HARKINS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, INGLIS,
PROBST, HILL-EVANS, CERRATO, HANBIDGE, BOROWSKI, PIELLI,
KHAN, SANCHEZ, DONAHUE, SCHLOSSBERG, D. WILLIAMS, CIRESI,
GREEN, DEASY, MAYES, HOHENSTEIN, KENYATTA, GIRAL, RIVERA,
MADDEN, GUENST, ISAACSON AND BOYD, JUNE 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 24, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in children and youth,
providing for child-care center assistance grants.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Article VII of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a
subarticle to read:
(f) Child-Care Center Assistance Grants
Section 775. Rural child care creation grants.
(a) Establishment of grant.--The department shall establish
a competitive grant for nonprofit early childhood education
organizations and public school districts to offer child care in
rural counties. The department shall require that a child-care
center that applies for a grant under this section comply with
licensing requirements in this article.
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(b) Awarding of grants.--A grant may be awarded to new
child-care centers in counties with a population density under
291 people per square mile that expand or establish child care
beyond the organization or school district's current offering.
The county must also be considered lacking child care openings
as determined by the department in consultation with the Center
for Rural Pennsylvania.
(c) Uses of grant money.--Grant money may be used by the
recipient for:
(1) Land purchase cost.
(2) Facility construction.
(3) Facility renovation.
(4) Two years of staff salary supplements according to
the following:
(i) Staff salary supplements for school districts
that establish a new child-care center would be the
amount necessary to provide salary parity across early
childhood education.
(ii) Certified prekindergarten teachers may not be
paid less than the district's starting salary for other
teachers with prekindergarten to fourth grade
instructional certifications at the same step.
(iii) Child development associates, as credentialed
by the Council for Professional Recognition, may not be
paid less than the local school district's starting
salary for kindergarten through fourth grade teachers
with no experience.
(d) Match of grant requirement.--A grant applicant under
this section must show at least one partnership with a local
business that agrees to pay a portion of the child-care fees for
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the business's employees attending the child-care center. These
agreements are solely at the discretion of the child-care center
and the local business, for the purpose of maintaining child-
care staff salary levels after the two-year grant supplement
ends.
(e) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Local business." A business located within the same county
as the child-care center or a geographically adjoining county to
the county that the child-care center is located.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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