STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman YVONNE LOPEZ
District 19 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Provides categorical eligibility for subsidized child care services to certain child care workers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning categorical eligibility for subsidized child care services and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act, “qualifying child care worker” means an educator or staff member who:
(1) is employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week by a licensed child care center or registered family child care provider;
(2) has children ages zero through five; and
(3) is not otherwise eligible for the State’s subsidized child care assistance program.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a qualifying child care worker shall be eligible for child care services through the State’s subsidized child care assistance program to the same extent as any other participant in the program, regardless of the family’s annual household income.
c. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish a process by which the department shall confirm that a qualifying child care worker satisfies the employment criteria required to access the benefit established pursuant to this section.
d. The commissioner shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act and to continue to secure federal financial participation for subsidized child care services for eligible families under the “Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990,” Pub.L.97-35 (42 U.S.C. s.9857 et seq.), as amended.
e. No later than three years after the effective date of this act, the Commissioner of Human Services shall report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the effectiveness of this benefit in fostering recruitment and retention of teachers and staff for licensed child care centers and registered family child care providers, including the number of individuals eligible for this benefit and the number who actually receive the benefit.
f. The commissioner shall adopt such rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this act.
2. This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of
enactment, but the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory
administrative action in advance thereof as may be necessary for the
implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill provides categorical eligibility for child care subsidies to qualifying employees of licensed child care centers or registered family child care providers, regardless of the qualifying employee’s annual income. Providing access to child care subsidies for employees of child care facilities, regardless of income, will raise the compensation level for these essential workers and support the recruitment and retention of child care employees.
The bill provides eligibility for child care services through the State’s subsidized child care assistance program for “qualifying child care workers,” regardless of the individual’s annual family income. The bill defines a qualifying child care worker as an educator or staff member who is employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week by a licensed child care center or a registered family child care provider, who has children ages zero through five, and is not otherwise eligible for the State’s subsidized child care assistance program.
Under the bill, the Commissioner of Human Services is directed to establish a process by which the department will confirm that a qualifying child care worker is employed by a child care provider for the number of hours required to access the child care subsidy benefit. The commissioner, moreover, is to apply for any State plan amendments or waivers necessary to ensure continuation of federal funding for subsidized child care services for eligible families under the “Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990.”
The bill requires the Commissioner to report to the Governor and Legislature in writing no later than three years after the effective date of the bill on the effectiveness of this benefit in fostering recruitment and retention of teachers and staff for licensed child care centers and registered family child care providers, including the number of individuals eligible for this benefit and the number who actually receive the benefit.
This bill is modeled on a similar policy adopted by several states including Kentucky, Washington, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Indiana, and Massachusetts.