Bill Text: CA SCR44 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Child care.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-06-16 - Hearing canceled at the request of author. [SCR44 Detail]
Download: California-2009-SCR44-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SCR 44 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 15, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 26, 2009
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 18, 2009
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 8, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Senator Corbett
MAY 6, 2009
Relative to child care.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 44, as amended, Corbett. Child care.
This measure would request the Legislature to hold one or
more joint legislative hearings and requests the State Department of
Education to participate in the hearing or hearings, on or before
April 1, 2010, to review California's current regional
market rate methodology and implementation guidelines
survey for subsidized child care , as
specified . The bill would also request that all vested
stakeholders be included in the planning and implementation process
being undertaken by the department State
Department of Education to establish new rates or a new rate
structure.
Fiscal committee: yes.
WHEREAS, In 1990, the federal government began a major investment
in child care with the passage of the Child Care and Development
Block Grant (CCDBG) Act Act of 1990 (CCDBG)
(42 U.S.C. Sec. 9858 et seq.); and
WHEREAS, In 1996 CCDBG was expanded as part of federal welfare
reform legislation called the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PROWORA). At that time, the child
care funding component became known as the Child Care and Development
Fund (CCDF); and
WHEREAS, A vital cornerstone of CCDF funding is parental choice.
Allowing families the ability to choose a child care environment that
best meets the needs of the child and the family is an integral part
of keeping children learning while parents are earning; and
WHEREAS, The intent of both the federal and state child care
and development subsidy programs is to ensure that
families low-income working families with children
from birth to 13 years of age have equal access to
child care providers who provide child care providers
that provide child care and developmental services to
nonsubsidized families; and
WHEREAS, The subsidized child care and
development reimbursement system should be based on the current
regional market rates of child care providers
who that provide care to private
nonsubsidized families; and
WHEREAS, The subsidized regional market rate ceilings should
allow for comparable access to all quality early care and education
environments, and the regional market rate ceilings paid should
provide adequate access to high-quality infant and toddler care; and
WHEREAS, The subsidized regional market rate ceilings should
provide opportunities for families with particular needs to obtain
quality child care options, including those families working
nontraditional hours, such as nights and weekends or working rotating
shifts, and for families with children with special needs; and
WHEREAS, The subsidized regional market rate ceilings should
facilitate access to providers trained to work with children with
special needs from birth to 21 years of age; and
WHEREAS, The subsidized regional market rate ceilings should
make proactive efforts to ensure that all children have access to
developmentally, linguistically, and culturally competent child care;
and
WHEREAS, California's child care provider reimbursement rate
should be updated no less than every two years in accordance with
requirements of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services and be included as part of California's State Plan; and
WHEREAS, The methodology for the California regional market rate
survey was last approved in 2005. The methodology approved takes into
account 12 different variables , including median home
values, median gross rent, median real estate taxes, and median
household income; and
WHEREAS, The California economy has changed dramatically since the
methodology for the regional market rate was approved and these
changes may have an adverse impact on the upcoming regional market
rate survey; and
WHEREAS, By the time California conducts and implements the market
rate survey, often it is already out-of-date
out of date ; and
WHEREAS, Families are disadvantaged with
by outdated rates that limit the access to providers who are
willing and able to provide quality child care to subsidized
children; and
WHEREAS, The regulations that govern the implementation of the
California regional market rate ceilings can be administratively
burdensome and are in need of a more simplified process; and
WHEREAS, The regional market rate development process has become
inadequate in providing a reasonable rate that affords families
access to high quality child care programs and does not always
represent the true cost of care; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature intends to hold one or more
joint legislative hearings and requests the State Department of
Education to also participate in the joint legislative hearing or
hearings to review California's current regional market rate
methodology and implementation guidelines, question whether adherence
to the current regional market rate system has resulted in
sufficient access for working poor families, and execute any
recommended changes to the current methodology; and be it further
RESOLVED, by the Senate of the State of California, the
Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature shall review the
regional market rate survey in each year that the survey is not being
implemented to determine the following: whether the regional market
rate ceilings are adequate to ensure high-quality regional programs;
whether the ratesetting system has resulted in sufficient access to
child care for working poor families; whether the supply of current
licensed child care providers has diminished or expanded compared to
previous years; whether the regional market rate ceilings provide
access to providers able to provide infant and toddler care, special
needs care, and child care during nontraditional hours; and, whether
the regional market rate ceilings take into account regional
differences so as not to create a bifurcated child care and
development delivery system; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Legislature requests that all vested
stakeholders be included in the planning and implementation process
being undertaken by the State Department of Education to establish
new rates or a new rate structure; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the discussion items include, but not be limited
to, the regional market rate history, current methodology, federal
and state requirements, and the regulations and implementation
guidelines used to implement the regional market rate; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the joint legislative hearing or hearings take
place on or before April 1, 2010, so that any recommended changes to
the current regional market rate methodology can be considered in
budget negotiations; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
