Childhood ed./impl. dates

AN ACT Relating to implementation dates for programs related to 1
early childhood education and child care; amending RCW 43.216.556 and 2
43.216.810; reenacting and amending RCW 43.216.802; providing an 3
effective date; and declaring an emergency. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.556 and 2021 c 199 s 208 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1) Funding for the program of early learning established under 8
this chapter must be appropriated to the department. The department 9
shall distribute funding to approved early childhood education and 10
assistance program contractors on the basis of eligible children 11
enrolled. 12
(2) The program shall be implemented in phases, so that full 13
implementation is achieved in the ((2026-27)) 2030-31 school year.14
(3) Funding shall continue to be phased in each year until full 15
statewide implementation of the early learning program is achieved in 16
the ((2026-27)) 2030-31 school year, at which time any eligible child 17
is entitled to be enrolled in the program. Entitlement under this 18
section is voluntary enrollment. 19
(4) School districts and approved community -based early learning 20
providers may contract with the department to provide services under 21
Z-0177.2
HOUSE BILL 1489
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representative Ormsby; by request of Office of Financial
Management
Read first time 01/21/25. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
p. 1 HB 1489
the program. The department shall collaborate with school districts, 1
community-based providers, and educational service districts to 2
promote an adequate supply of approved providers. 3
Sec. 2. RCW 43.216.802 and 2024 c 225 s 1 and 2024 c 67 s 2 are 4
each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 5
(1) It is the intent of the legislature to increase working 6
families' access to affordable, high quality child care and to 7
support the expansion of the workforce to support businesses and the 8
statewide economy. 9
(2) A family is eligible for working connections child care when 10
the household's annual income is at or below 60 percent of the state 11
median income adjusted for family size and: 12
(a) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 13
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need 14
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and15
(b) The household meets all other program eligibility 16
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 17
as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority 18
granted by this chapter. 19
(3) Beginning July 1, ((2025)) 2029, a family is eligible for 20
working connections child care when the household's annual income is 21
above 60 percent and at or below 75 percent of the state median 22
income adjusted for family size and: 23
(a) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 24
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need 25
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and26
(b) The household meets all other program eligibility 27
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 28
as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority 29
granted by this chapter. 30
(4) Beginning July 1, ((2027)) 2031, and subject to the 31
availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, a 32
family is eligible for working connections child care when the 33
household's annual income is above 75 percent of the state median 34
income and is at or below 85 percent of the state median income 35
adjusted for family size and: 36
(a) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 37
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need 38
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and39
p. 2 HB 1489
(b) The household meets all other program eligibility 1
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 2
as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority 3
granted by this chapter. 4
(5) Beginning November 1, 2024, when an applicant or consumer is 5
a member of an assistance unit that is eligible for or receiving 6
basic food benefits under the federal supplemental nutrition 7
assistance program or the state food assistance program the 8
department must determine that the household income eligibility 9
requirements in this section are met. 10
(6) The department must adopt rules to implement this section, 11
including an income phase-out eligibility period. 12
(7) The department may not consider the citizenship status of an 13
applicant or consumer's child when determining eligibility for 14
working connections child care benefits. 15
(8) The income eligibility requirements in subsections (2) 16
through (4) of this section do not apply to households eligible for 17
the working connections child care program under RCW 43.216.808, 18
43.216.810, 43.216.812, and 43.216.814. 19
Sec. 3. RCW 43.216.810 and 2024 c 67 s 6 are each amended to 20
read as follows: 21
(1) An applicant or consumer is eligible to receive working 22
connections child care benefits for the care of one or more eligible 23
children for the first 12 months of the applicant's or consumer's 24
enrollment in a state registered apprenticeship program under chapter 25
49.04 RCW when: 26
(a) The applicant or consumer's household annual income adjusted 27
for family size does not exceed 75 percent of the state median income 28
at the time of application, or, beginning July 1, ((2027)) 2032, does 29
not exceed 85 percent of the state median income if funds are 30
appropriated for the purpose of RCW 43.216.802(4);31
(b) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 32
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and either has a verified special 33
need according to department rule or is under court supervision; and34
(c) The household meets all other program eligibility 35
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 36
in accordance with RCW 43.216.055, 43.216.065, and 43.216.800.37
(2) The department must adopt a copayment model for benefits 38
granted under this ((subsection [section])) section, which must align 39
p. 3 HB 1489
with any copayment identified or adopted for households with the same 1
income level under RCW 43.216.804. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate 3
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of 4
the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes 5
effect July 1, 2025.6
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