DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 58

AN ACT RELATING TO THE REMOVAL OF COPAY REQUIREMENTS FOR DELAWARE FAMILIES IN NEED.

WHEREAS, child care is an essential infrastructure for Delaware’s economy that supports today’s workforce; and

WHEREAS, quality early learning opportunities are critical to children’s development, school readiness, and success in life; and

WHEREAS, policies adopted during the COVID-19 public health emergency have been successful in stabilizing families and providing them needed care and education; and

WHEREAS, the federal Administration for Children and Families recommends no family pay more than 7% of their income for copays, and has recommended a sliding scale where families up to the state median income are not required to contribute any copay; and

WHEREAS, most education funding is allocated by semester or year, however, early care and education funded by purchase of care is funded based on attendance; and

WHEREAS, ensuring the stability of care and education for young children, who are the most vulnerable and whose brain development is the most rapid, is one of the best investments the state can make for long-term impacts.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. The Department of Health and Social Services (“Department”) shall not charge copays for purchase of care to families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty line.

Section 2. The Department shall pay child care providers for up to 15 absent days per child per month for families qualifying for purchase of care.

SYNOPSIS

Since the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Department has not charged copays for Delaware Families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level and has reimbursed purchase of care providers for 15 absent days per child per month. These practices have been successful in stabilizing families and providing early learning programs for Delaware's needy families and children.

Author: Senator S. McBride