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SB6179 • 2026
Aligning child care subsidy base rates in Franklin county with Benton and Walla Walla counties.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Child care subsidy rates
First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.
Child care subsidy rates
AN ACT Relating to aligning child care subsidy base rates in 1 Franklin county with Benton and Walla Walla counties; and amending 2 RCW 43.216.828. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4 Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.828 and 2025 c 424 s 957 are each amended to 5 read as follows: 6 (1) It is the intent of the legislature to systemically increase 7 child care subsidy rates over time until rates are equal to the full 8 cost of providing high quality child care. 9 (2) Beginning July 1, 2026, child care subsidy base rates must 10 achieve the 85th percentile of market, as established by the most 11 recent market rate survey published before May 20, 2025, for licensed 12 or certified child care providers. The state and the exclusive 13 representative for family child care providers must enter into 14 bargaining over the implementation of the subsidy rate increase under 15 this subsection. 16 (3)(a) The department shall build upon the work of the child care 17 collaborative task force to develop and implement a child care cost 18 estimate model and use the completed child care cost model to 19 recommend subsidy rates at levels that are sufficient to compensate 20 S-3920.1 SENATE BILL 6179 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senator Dozier p. 1 SB 6179 licensed or certified child care providers for the full costs of 1 providing high quality child care. The department shall consider:2 (i) Adjusting rates to reflect cost of living such as area median 3 income, cost of living by zip code, and grouping by categories such 4 as rural, suburban, or urban; and 5 (ii) Incorporating the rate model for nonstandard child care 6 hours developed under section 306, chapter 199, Laws of 2021.7 (b) The department shall build upon the work of the child care 8 collaborative task force to evaluate options to support access to 9 affordable health care insurance coverage for licensed or certified 10 child care providers. 11 (4) Child care subsidy base rates for licensed or certified child 12 care providers in Franklin county must be equal to rates paid in 13 Benton and Walla Walla counties.14 (5) This section does not interfere with, impede, or in any way 15 diminish the right of family child care providers to bargain 16 collectively with the state through the exclusive bargaining 17 representatives as provided for under RCW 41.56.153.18 --- END --- p. 2 SB 6179