Working conn. child care

AN ACT Relating to modifying access to the working connections 1
child care program by expanding access for small business employees 2
and adjusting implementation dates; amending RCW 43.216.810; 3
reenacting and amending RCW 43.216.802; adding a new section to 4
chapter 43.216 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an 5
emergency. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.216 8
RCW to read as follows: 9
(1) An applicant or consumer is eligible to receive working 10
connections child care benefits for the care of one or more eligible 11
children when: 12
(a) The applicant or household member is employed by a small 13
business; 14
(b) The applicant or consumer's household annual income adjusted 15
for family size does not exceed 75 percent of the state median income 16
at the time of application, or, beginning July 1, 2031, does not 17
exceed 85 percent of the state median income if funds are 18
appropriated for the purpose of RCW 43.216.802(4);19
Z-0349.1
HOUSE BILL 1919
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Bergquist, Couture, Schmidt, and Pollet; by
request of Governor Ferguson
Read first time 02/10/25. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
Human Services.
p. 1 HB 1919
(c) The child receiving care is (i) less than 13 years of age, or 1
(ii) less than 19 years of age and either has a verified special need 2
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and3
(d) The household meets all other program eligibility 4
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 5
in accordance with RCW 43.216.055, 43.216.065, and 43.216.800.6
(2) The department must adopt a copayment model for benefits 7
granted under this section, which must align with any copayment 8
identified or adopted for households with the same income level under 9
RCW 43.216.804. 10
(3) For the purposes of this section "small business" means any 11
business entity that is owned and operated independently from all 12
other businesses, and that has 50 or fewer employees.13
Sec. 2. RCW 43.216.802 and 2024 c 225 s 1 and 2024 c 67 s 2 are 14
each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 15
(1) It is the intent of the legislature to increase working 16
families' access to affordable, high quality child care and to 17
support the expansion of the workforce to support businesses and the 18
statewide economy. 19
(2) A family is eligible for working connections child care when 20
the household's annual income is at or below 60 percent of the state 21
median income adjusted for family size and: 22
(a) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 23
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need 24
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and25
(b) The household meets all other program eligibility 26
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 27
as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority 28
granted by this chapter. 29
(3) Beginning July 1, ((2025)) 2029, a family is eligible for 30
working connections child care when the household's annual income is 31
above 60 percent and at or below 75 percent of the state median 32
income adjusted for family size and: 33
(a) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 34
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need 35
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and36
(b) The household meets all other program eligibility 37
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 38
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as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority 1
granted by this chapter. 2
(4) Beginning July 1, ((2027)) 2031, and subject to the 3
availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, a 4
family is eligible for working connections child care when the 5
household's annual income is above 75 percent of the state median 6
income and is at or below 85 percent of the state median income 7
adjusted for family size and: 8
(a) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 9
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need 10
according to department rule or is under court supervision; and11
(b) The household meets all other program eligibility 12
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 13
as authorized by RCW 43.216.055 or 43.216.065 or any other authority 14
granted by this chapter. 15
(5) Beginning November 1, 2024, when an applicant or consumer is 16
a member of an assistance unit that is eligible for or receiving 17
basic food benefits under the federal supplemental nutrition 18
assistance program or the state food assistance program the 19
department must determine that the household income eligibility 20
requirements in this section are met. 21
(6) The department must adopt rules to implement this section, 22
including an income phase-out eligibility period. 23
(7) The department may not consider the citizenship status of an 24
applicant or consumer's child when determining eligibility for 25
working connections child care benefits. 26
(8) The income eligibility requirements in subsections (2) 27
through (4) of this section do not apply to households eligible for 28
the working connections child care program under RCW 43.216.808, 29
43.216.810, 43.216.812, and 43.216.814. 30
Sec. 3. RCW 43.216.810 and 2024 c 67 s 6 are each amended to 31
read as follows: 32
(1) An applicant or consumer is eligible to receive working 33
connections child care benefits for the care of one or more eligible 34
children for the first 12 months of the applicant's or consumer's 35
enrollment in a state registered apprenticeship program under chapter 36
49.04 RCW when: 37
(a) The applicant or consumer's household annual income adjusted 38
for family size does not exceed 75 percent of the state median income 39
p. 3 HB 1919
at the time of application, or, beginning July 1, ((2027)) 2031, does 1
not exceed 85 percent of the state median income if funds are 2
appropriated for the purpose of RCW 43.216.802(4); 3
(b) The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; 4
or (ii) less than 19 years of age and either has a verified special 5
need according to department rule or is under court supervision; and6
(c) The household meets all other program eligibility 7
requirements established in this chapter or in rule by the department 8
in accordance with RCW 43.216.055, 43.216.065, and 43.216.800.9
(2) The department must adopt a copayment model for benefits 10
granted under this ((subsection [section])) section, which must align 11
with any copayment identified or adopted for households with the same 12
income level under RCW 43.216.804. 13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate 14
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of 15
the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes 16
effect July 1, 2025.17
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