HB 7 — Make certain caregivers eligible for publicly funded child care

As IntroducedReported by the House Children and Human Services Committee 136th General Assembly Regular Session H.Am.

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7 2025-2026 Representatives White, A., Ray ACosponsors: BILL To amend section 5104.30 and to enact section 1 5104.302 of the Revised Code to make foster 2 caregivers and kinship caregivers eligible for 3 publicly funded child care.

Representatives Lett, Fowler Arthur A BILL To amend section 5104.30 and to enact section 1 5104.303 of the Revised Code to make foster 2 caregivers and kinship caregivers eligible for 3 publicly funded child care.

That section 5104.30 be amended and section 5 5104.3025104.303 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

15 (3) Individuals who would be participating in the Ohio 16 works first program if not for a sanction under section 5107.16 17 ofAm. the Revised Code and who continue to participate in a work 18 H.

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7 Page 2 As IntroducedReported by the House Children and Human Services Committee of the Revised Code and who continue to participate in a work 18 activity, developmental activity, or alternative work activity 19 pursuant to an assignment under section 5107.42 of the Revised 20 Code;

21 (4) A family receiving publicly funded child care on 22 October 1, 1997, until the family's income reaches one hundred 23 fifty per cent of the federal poverty lineSubject to section 24 5104.3025104.303 of the Revised Code, foster caregivers, as defined in 25 section 5103.02 of the Revised Code, and kinship caregivers, as 26 defined in section 5101.855180.50 of the Revised Code;

The 47 departmentAm. may use any state funds appropriated for publicly 48 H.

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7 Page 3 As IntroducedReported by the House Children and Human Services Committee department may use any state funds appropriated for publicly 48 funded child care as the state share required to match any 49 federal funds appropriated for publicly funded child care.

If authorized by rules 74 adopted by the department pursuant to section 5104.42 of the 75 RevisedAm. Code, county departments of job and family services may 76 H.

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7 Page 4 As IntroducedReported by the House Children and Human Services Committee Revised Code, county departments of job and family services may 76 purchase child care from funds obtained through any other means.

100 (a) ReimbursementPayment rates for providers of publicly funded 101 child 101 care not later than the first day of July in each odd-odd-numbered 102 numbered year;

103 (b) A procedure for reimbursing and paying providers of 104 publicly funded child104 care.Am.

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7 Page 5 As IntroducedReported (2)by In establishing reimbursement rates under division (E) 106 (1)(a) of this section, the directorHouse shallChildren doand allHuman ofServices theCommittee 107child following:care.

108105 (a)(2) UseIn theestablishing informationpayment obtainedrates inunder accordancedivision with(E)(1)(a) 45106 109of C.F.R.this section, the director shall do all of the following:

98.45;107 (a) Use the information obtained from the market rate 108 survey developed and conducted in accordance with 45 C.F.R.

110109 (b)98.45; Establish an enhanced reimbursement rate for providers 111 who provide child care for caretaker parents who work 112 nontraditional hours;

113110 (c)(b) WithEstablish regardan toenhanced thepayment steprate upfor toproviders qualitywho program111 114enroll establishedchildren pursuantwhose tocaretaker sectionparents 5104.29work ofnontraditional the112 Revisedhours; Code, 115 establish enhanced reimbursement rates for child care providers 116 that participate in the program.

117113 (3)(c) InWith establishingregard reimbursementto ratesthe understep divisionup (E)to 118quality (1)(a)program of114 thisestablished section,pursuant to section 5104.29 of the directorRevised mayCode, 115 establish differentenhanced 119payment reimbursement rates basedfor onchild anycare ofproviders that 116 participate in the following:program.

117 (3) In establishing payment rates under division (E)(1)(a) 118 of this section, the director may establish different payment 119 rates based on any of the following:

5104.302.5104.303.

(A) A foster caregiver or kinship caregiver 130 shallAm. be employed or participating in a program of education or 131 H.

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7 Page 6 As IntroducedReported by the House Children and Human Services Committee shall be employed or participating in a program of education or 131 training for an amount of time reasonably related to the time 132 that the child is receiving publicly funded child care in order 133 to be provided publicly funded child care under section 5104.30 134 of the Revised Code.