Bill Text: NJ A4703 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes child care costs reimbursement grant program in DCF; appropriates $500,000.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-09-21 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Women and Children Committee [A4703 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4703-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER P. DEPHILLIPS
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes a child care costs reimbursement grant program in DCF; appropriates $500,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a child care costs reimbursement grant program in the Department of Children and Families, supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Eligible parent or guardian" means an individual who: (1) is employed full-time or part-time; and (2) has a child who is enrolled or will be enrolled in a child care center licensed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.) as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency.
2. a. There is established in the Department of Children and Families a grant program in which an eligible parent or guardian with a child who is enrolled or will be enrolled in a child care center licensed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.) as a result of school closures or the use of virtual or remote school instruction due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency shall be reimbursed for child care tuition costs incurred by the parent or guardian.
b. The grant program established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be funded from monies appropriated thereto by section 4 of this act, and any other monies as may be appropriated or otherwise made available for that purpose.
3. a. An eligible parent or guardian who wishes to participate in the grant program established under section 2 this act shall submit an application to the Commissioner of Children and Families, in a manner and on forms as determined by the commissioner.
b. The commissioner shall:
(1) establish selection criteria for awarding grants under the program;
(2) award grants under the program based upon review of the applications and subject to the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the program;
(3) allocate the approved grant funds to each eligible parent or guardian participating in the program in a timely manner; and
(4) establish the amount of each grant awarded for an eligible parent or guardian.
c. The grant awarded to an eligible parent or guardian pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall be used to reimburse child care tuition costs incurred by the parent or guardian who are required to enroll their child in a licensed child care center as a result of school closures or the use of virtual or remote school instruction due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
4. There is appropriated $500,000 from a portion of the federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act," Pub.L.116-136, to the Department of Children and Families for the grant program established in section 2 of this act, to the extent the funding is available for this purpose
5. The Department of Children and Families shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the conclusion of the declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes in the Department of Children and Families a grant program in which an eligible parent or guardian with a child who is enrolled or will be enrolled in a child care center licensed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.) as a result of school closures or the use of virtual or remote school instruction due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency will be reimbursed for child care tuition costs incurred by the parent or guardian.
The grant program is to be funded from monies appropriated to the DCF from a portion of the federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act," Pub.L.116-136, and any other monies appropriated or made available for the grant program.
Under the provisions of the bill, an eligible parent or guardian who wishes to participate in the grant program is to submit an application to the Commissioner of Children and Families (commissioner), in a manner and on forms determined by the commissioner. The commissioner is to: establish selection criteria for awarding grants under the program; award grants under the program based upon review of the applications and subject to the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the program; allocate the approved grant funds to each eligible parent or guardian participating in the program in a timely manner; and establish the amount of each grant awarded for an eligible parent or guardian.
The bill stipulates that the grant awarded to an eligible parent or guardian will be used to reimburse child care tuition costs incurred by the parent or guardian who are required to enroll their child in a licensed child care center as a result of school closures or the use of virtual or remote school instruction due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
As used in the bill, "eligible parent or guardian" means an individual who: is employed full-time or part-time; and has a child who is enrolled or will be enrolled in a child care center licensed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.) as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
