A 2247 — Requires Division of Family Development to establish and maintain registration system for persons applying for State's child care assistance program.*

A2247 1R2R [First[Second Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

Assemblyman Scharfenberger, Assemblywomen Dunn, BrennanBrennan, andAssemblymen AssemblymanKearney, KearneyBhalla, Assemblywomen Morales and Collazos-Gill         SYNOPSIS      Requires Division of Family Development to establish and maintain waitingregistration listsystem for persons applying for State's child care assistance program.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the Assembly AgingChildren, Families and HumanFood ServicesSecurity Committee on FebruaryMay 19,7, 2026, with amendments.

            1. 21.  a. The NotwithstandingLegislature anyfinds lawand rule,declares orthat: regulation to the contrary, the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services shall:

          (1)a.  maintainEvery ayear, waitingbased liston ofavailable thosefunding, 1[incomethe eligibleDivision persons]of presumptivelyFamily eligibleDevelopment applicants1in who apply to receive assistance through the State’sDepartment childof careHuman assistanceServices programdetermines andhow aremany notifiedfamilies thatwill theirbe applicationsserved willby notthe beState’s processedchild duecare toassistance limitedprogram. funding;

          (2)b.  implementHowever, proceduresthe bytrue whichdemand suchfor personschild maycare beassistance placedexceeds what is provided on a yearly basis, a fact which became apparent when in August 2025,  the State’s child care assistance program received an increased number of applications prior to the waitingprogram list;implementing a freeze on such applications.

1[and]1          c.  (3)A establishSeptember methods2025 forbrief notifyingby 1[qualified]the presumptivelyRutgers eligible1Child applicantsCare whenResearch theCollaborative divisionfound willthat process76 theirpercent applicationsof forNew Jersey children under the State’sage childof carefive assistanceare programin oncenon-parental fundingcare, becomeswith available,half including,of butthose notfamilies limitedspending to,more postingthan suchseven informationpercent onof itstheir Internetannual website1;income on child care.

and          d.  (4)For designatemany childof carethe resourcemost andvulnerable referralfamilies agenciesin contractedthe withState, the divisionchild tocare serveassistance asprogram accessis pointsthe toonly assistpath presumptivelyto eligibleaffordable, applicantsquality withchild completingcare, andhighlighting submittingthe applicationsimportance forof the State’s child care assistance program andin thehelping self-attestationlow-income formsfamilies developedremain pursuantactive toparticipants paragraphin (1)the ofState’s subsectionworkforce. b.

of     thise.  act.1The      implementation b. of 1(1)the Forfreeze on applications to the purposesState ofchild placementcare ofassistance anprogram presumptivelyalso eligiblehad applicanta negative impact on thechild waitingcare listproviders maintainedwho byrely on the divisionsubsidies pursuantprovided toby paragraphthe (1)State ofto subsectioncontinue a.operating their businesses.

of     thisf.  section,Under the divisionState’s shallchild permitcare theassistance applicantprogram, tofamilies establishpay eligibilitytheir viashare aof standardizedthe self-attestationcost form. of      child (a)care Theservices self-attestationdirectly formto shallthe bechild developedcare byprovider, while the divisionState andpays madethe publiclyprovider available,for eitherthe onlinebalance throughof the Departmentcost of Humancare.  Services’The Internetloss websiteof orsubsidy inpayments paperfrom formeligible tofamilies behas distributedled byto childdecreased careenrollment resource and referral agencies, in languageschild including,care butprograms not limited to, English and Spanish. financial      instability (b)for Thechild applicantcare mayproviders, submitreinforcing the applicationneed for thebetter State’sdata childcollection careto assistanceinform programState policy and thefunding self-attestationdecisions formconcerning electronically on the division’sprovision Internetof website, in person, through a child care resourceservices. and referral agency, or by mail.

          (2)g.  TheTherefore, self-attestationit formis shallin includethe informationbest necessaryinterest of the State to establish presumptivea eligibilitysystem including,to butregister notand limitedtrack to,all applications for the applicant’sState’s income,child householdcare composition,assistance residency,program participationto inimprove work,transparency education,and ordata jobcollection trainingrelating activities,to the birthState’s monthchild andcare yearassistance ofprogram eachand childto requiringquantify care, and therespond applicant’sto contactthe information,unmet includingchild emailcare address,needs telephoneof, number,and orthe otherprogram’s availablerole methodsin supporting, the divisionState’s canworking usefamilies.2 to     contact2[1. the applicant.

     ] (3)2.2 Completiona.  and2[Notwithstanding submissionany oflaw therule, self-attestationor formregulation shallto bethe sufficientcontrary, tothe] establishThe2 presumptiveDivision eligibilityof forFamily placementDevelopment onin the waitingDepartment list. of TheHuman divisionServices shall2shall notestablish requireand themaintain, submissionon ofan payongoing stubs,basis, taxa returns,system employerfor verification,registering orand anytracking otherall formapplicants ofand incomeprospective verificationapplicants asto athe conditionState’s ofchild placementcare onassistance theprogram. waiting list.

      (4) The finalregistration determinationsystem2 andshall: certification that an applicant is eligible for placement on the waiting list shall be made at the time the division processes the application for enrollment in the State’s child care assistance program.

          (5)(1) Themaintain divisiona shall notify an applicant of their placement on the waiting list and any change in application status within 10 business days of thethose receipt1[income ofeligible apersons] completed2[presumptively self-attestationeligible form,applicants1] usingpersons2 thewho contact2wish informationto2 providedapply by the applicant pursuant to paragraphreceive (2)assistance ofthrough thisthe subsection. State’s Failurechild tocare provideassistance notificationprogram to2[and theare applicantnotified within that timeframetheir shallapplications will not delaybe orprocessed preventdue theto applicant’slimited placementfunding]2; on the waiting list.

          c.1 (2) Theimplement divisionprocedures shallby 1[annually]1which publish1,such atpersons least2[may semi-annually,1 a report, to be madeplaced]2 available on the Departmentwaiting oflist2[;]2 Human1[and]1 Service's2shall websitebe andinvited submitted to theapply Governorfor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), containing non-identifying aggregate data about 1[income-eligible persons] presumptively eligible applicants1 qualified for, and applying to receive assistance through,through the State’s child care assistance program. program Theas reportdetermined shall,by at a minimum, include the numberdivision2; of:

          (1)(3) applicationsestablish receivedmethods for notifying 1[qualified] 2[presumptively eligible1 applicants when the division will process] persons on the waiting list when they can submit2 their applications for the State’s child care assistance program;program 2[once funding becomes available] and when the division shall process their applications2, including, but not limited to, posting such information on its Internet website1;

     and (2)     1[eligible(4) applicantsdesignate approvedchild tocare receiveresource servicesand throughreferral agencies contracted with the program]division to 2[serve as access points to assist presumptively eligible applicants,applicants] asprovide determinedpersons bywho submissionhave ofbeen ainvited completedto apply for assistance with help in2 completing and submitting applications for the State’s child care assistance program 2[and the self-attestation form1;forms developed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection b.

of this act]2.1       (3)b.  1[qualified2[1(1) personsFor thatthe applypurposes forof servicesplacement throughof thean programpresumptively andeligible areapplicant notifiedon thatthe theirwaiting applicationslist willmaintained notby bethe processeddivision duepursuant to limitedparagraph funding;(1) of subsection a.

andof      this (4)section, applicantsthe placeddivision onshall permit the waitingapplicant listto establish eligibility via a standardized self-attestation form.       (a) The self-attestation form shall be developed pursuantby the division and made publicly available, either online through the Department of Human Services’ Internet website or in paper form to subsectionbe a.distributed by child care resource and referral agencies, in languages including, but not limited to, English and Spanish.       (b) The applicant may submit the application for the State’s child care assistance program and the self-attestation form electronically on the division’s Internet website, in person, through a child care resource and referral agency, or by mail.

of     this(2) section]The applicantsself-attestation determinedform eligibleshall andinclude approvedinformation fornecessary enrollmentto establish presumptive eligibility including, but not limited to, the applicant’s income, household composition, residency, participation in work, education, or job training activities, the program;birth month and year of each child requiring care, and the applicant’s contact information, including email address, telephone number, or other available methods the division can use to contact the applicant.

          (4)(3) applicantsCompletion placedand submission of the self-attestation form shall be sufficient to establish presumptive eligibility for placement on the waiting listlist.  dueThe todivision insufficientshall programnot funding;require the submission of pay stubs, tax returns, employer verification, or any other form of income verification as a condition of placement on the waiting list.

     (4) The final determination and      certification (5)that applicantsan determinedapplicant ineligibleis eligible for theplacement program,on includingthe aggregatewaiting reasonlist categoriesshall forbe ineligibility,made suchat asthe incometime exceedingthe eligibilitydivision limits,processes incompletethe applications,application orfor failureenrollment toin meetthe activityState’s requirementschild orcare otherassistance programprogram. criteria.

          d. (5) The reportdivision publishedshall notify an applicant of their placement on the waiting list and any change in application status within 10 business days of the receipt of a completed self-attestation form, using the contact information provided by the applicant pursuant to subsectionparagraph c.(2) of this subsection.  Failure to provide notification to the applicant within that timeframe shall not delay or prevent the applicant’s placement on the waiting list.

     c.1]2  The division shall 1[annually]1 publish1, at least semi-annually,1 a report, to be made available on the Department of thisHuman 2[Service's] Services’2 website and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section shall2 alsoof include,P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), containing non-identifying aggregate data about 1[income-eligible persons] 2[presumptively eligible applicants qualified for,] persons on the waiting list, persons who were invited to apply,2 and 2[applying] persons who did in fact apply2 to receive assistance through2[,]2 the extentState’s practicable,child informationcare on:assistance program 2pursuant to subsection a.

     of (1)this averagesection2.  processingThe timereport forshall, applications;at a minimum, include the number of:

          (2)(1) averageapplications lengthreceived offor timethe applicantsState’s remainchild oncare theassistance waitingprogram; list;

          (3)(2) geographic2[1[eligible distributionapplicants ofapproved applicantsto receive services through the program] presumptively eligible applicants, as determined by county;submission of a completed self-attestation form1] applications received from persons who were invited to apply to receive services through the State’s child care assistance program2;

     (3) 1[qualified persons that apply for services through the program and      are (4)notified totalthat numbertheir ofapplications childrenwill bynot agebe representedprocessed bydue applicants.to limited funding;

      e.  As used in this section, “presumptively eligible applicant” meansa person who has submitted a completed self-attestation form proving that the person meets the State’s child care assistance program eligibility criteria, including income requirements, residency requirements, household composition, or participation in work, education, or job training activities, and is     awaiting(4) aapplicants determinationplaced and certification of eligibility for placement on the waiting list todeveloped receivepursuant assistanceto throughsubsection thea. State’s child care assistance program1.

 of     this 2. section Thisapplicants] act2persons shallwho takewere effectinvited immediately.to apply to receive services through the program and who applied to receive such services, were2 determined eligible, and approved for enrollment in the program;

     (4) 2[applicants placed] persons who wish to apply to receive assistance through the program2 on the waiting list 2[due to insufficient program funding]2;

and      (5) 2[applicants] persons who were invited to apply to receive services through the program2 determined ineligible for the program, including aggregate reason categories for ineligibility, such as income exceeding eligibility limits, incomplete applications, or failure to meet activity requirements or other program criteria.

     2[d.] c.2  The report published pursuant to subsection 2[c.] b.2 of this section shall also include, to the extent practicable, information on:

     (1) average processing time for applications;

     (2) average length of time 2[applicants] persons wish to apply to receive services through the State’s child care assistance program2 remain on the waiting list;

     (3) geographic distribution of 2persons who wish to apply to receive services through the program2 and 2[applicants] persons who were invited to apply to receive services through the program,2 by county;

and      (4) total number of children by age represented by 2[applicants] persons who were invited to apply to receive services through the program2.

     2[e.  As used in this section, “presumptively eligible applicant” meansa person who has submitted a completed self-attestation form proving that the person meets the State’s child care assistance program eligibility criteria, including income requirements, residency requirements, household composition, or participation in work, education, or job training activities, and is awaiting a determination and certification of eligibility for placement on the waiting list to receive assistance through the State’s child care assistance program1.]2        2[2.] 3.2  This act shall take effect immediately.