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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10115 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10115

 To amend the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act 
  of 1958 to provide resources, counseling, and access to capital for 
             child care providers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 12, 2024

 Mr. Landsman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Small Business

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act 
  of 1958 to provide resources, counseling, and access to capital for 
             child care providers, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care for Small Businesses 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SMALL BUSINESS LOANS FOR COVERED NONPROFIT CHILD CARE 
              PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
632) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(gg) Covered Nonprofit Child Care Provider.--In this Act, the 
term `covered nonprofit child care provider' means an organization--
            ``(1) that--
                    ``(A) is in compliance with licensing requirements 
                for child care providers of the State in which the 
                organization is located;
                    ``(B) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
                Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under 
                section 501(a) of such Code;
                    ``(C) is primarily engaged in providing child care 
                for children from birth to compulsory school age; and
                    ``(D) is in compliance with applicable industry-
                based size standard established under subsection (a);
            ``(2) for which each employee and regular volunteer 
        complies with the criminal background check requirements under 
        section 658H(b) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
        Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858f(b));
            ``(3) that may--
                    ``(A) provide care for school-age children outside 
                of school hours or outside of the school year; or
                    ``(B) offer preschool or prekindergarten 
                educational programs; and
            ``(4) subject to any exemption under Federal law applicable 
        to the organization, that certifies to the Administrator that 
        the organization will not discriminate in any business 
        practice, including providing services to the public, on the 
        basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, 
        marital status, age, disability, or national origin.''.
    (b) Eligibility of Nonprofit Child Care Providers for 7(a) Loans.--
Section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(38) Covered nonprofit child care providers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator may guarantee 
                loans made to a covered nonprofit child care provider 
                under the same terms, conditions, and processes as a 
                loan made under this subsection.
                    ``(B) Loan guarantee.--A covered nonprofit child 
                care provider that receives a loan under this 
                subsection--
                            ``(i) with respect to a loan greater than 
                        $500,000, shall obtain a guarantee of timely 
                        payment of the loan from another person; and
                            ``(ii) with respect to a loan less than or 
                        equal to $500,000, may not be required to 
                        obtain a guarantee of timely payment of the 
                        loan.
                    ``(C) Limitation on basis for ineligibility.--The 
                Administrator may not determine that a covered 
                nonprofit child care provider is not eligible for a 
                loan under this section on the basis that the proceeds 
                of such loan will be used for a religious activity 
                protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution 
                of the United States (as determined by a court of 
                competent jurisdiction).
                    ``(D) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
                of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 
                the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report 
                that contains--
                            ``(i) for the year covered by the report, 
                        the number and dollar value of loans made under 
                        this paragraph; and
                            ``(ii) any other information determined 
                        relevant by the Administrator.''.
    (c) Eligibility of Nonprofit Child Care Providers for 504 
Financing.--Title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 
U.S.C. 695 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 511. ASSISTANCE FOR COVERED NONPROFIT CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator may provide financing under 
this title to a covered nonprofit child care provider (as defined in 
section 3(gg) of the Small Business Act).
    ``(b) Guarantee.--A covered nonprofit child care provider that 
receives financing under this title--
            ``(1) with respect to financing in an aggregate amount 
        greater than $500,000, shall obtain a guarantee of timely 
        payment of the loan from another person; and
            ``(2) with respect to financing in an aggregate amount less 
        than or equal to $500,000, may not be required to obtain a 
        guarantee of timely payment of the loan.
    ``(c) Limitation on Basis for Ineligibility.--The Administrator may 
not determine that a covered nonprofit child care provider is not 
eligible for a loan under this section on the basis that the proceeds 
of such loan will be used for a religious activity protected under the 
First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States (as determined 
by a court of competent jurisdiction).
    ``(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall 
submit to Congress a report that contains--
            ``(1) for the year covered by the report, the number and 
        dollar value of financing provided to a covered nonprofit child 
        care provider under this title; and
            ``(2) any other information determined relevant by the 
        Administrator.''.

SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.

    Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)) is 
amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (T), by striking ``; and'';
            (2) in the first subparagraph (U), in clause (v), by 
        striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
            (3) by redesignating the second subparagraph (U) as 
        subparagraph (V);
            (4) in subparagraph (V), as so redesignated, in clause 
        (ii)(II), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
        and''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(W) providing business assistance to small 
                business concerns and covered nonprofit child care 
                providers operating or interested in operating a child 
                care business, including one-on-one advising sessions, 
                workshops, or training cohorts on topics relating to--
                            ``(i) developing a business, financial, and 
                        marketing plan;
                            ``(ii) learning operational policies and 
                        procedures;
                            ``(iii) implementing methods for managing 
                        financial statements;
                            ``(iv) fostering opportunities to expand 
                        the business and increase revenues; and
                            ``(v) other matters the Administrator 
                        determines appropriate.''.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS.

    Section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                inserting ``or, to the extent provided in this 
                subsection, for the benefit of covered nonprofit child 
                care providers'' after ``by women'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(4) with respect to a project for the benefit of a small 
        business concern or covered nonprofit child care provider or 
        operating or interested in operating a child care business, 
        business assistance, including one-on-one advising sessions, 
        workshops, or training cohorts on topics relating to--
                    ``(A) developing a business, financial, and 
                marketing plan;
                    ``(B) learning operational policies and procedures;
                    ``(C) implementing methods for managing financial 
                statements;
                    ``(D) fostering opportunities to expand the 
                business and increase revenues; and
                    ``(E) other matters the Administrator determines 
                appropriate.'';
            (2) in subsection (d), by inserting ``and, to the extent 
        permitted under subsection (b), to covered nonprofit child care 
        providers'' after ``small business concerns''; and
            (3) in subsection (n)(1), by striking ``or small business 
        concern'' each place it appears and inserting ``, small 
        business concern, or covered nonprofit child care provider''.

SEC. 5. CHILD CARE RESOURCE GUIDE.

    The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 49 as section 50; and
            (2) by inserting after section 48 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 49. CHILD CARE RESOURCE GUIDE.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this section and not less frequently than every 4 years 
thereafter, the Administrator shall publish or update a resource guide 
for small business concerns operating or planning to operate as child 
care providers.
    ``(b) Guidance on Small Business Concern Matters.--The resource 
guide required under subsection (a) shall include--
            ``(1) guidance for such small business concerns related to 
        business operations of a child care provider (including 
        marketing and management planning);
            ``(2) references to other Federal programs and guides, 
        resources, and websites relating to the overall quality of 
        child care provider operations, including safety measures and 
        training for employees of such provider; and
            ``(3) any other matters the Administrator determines 
        appropriate.
    ``(c) Publication and Dissemination Required.--
            ``(1) Publication.--The Administrator, women's business 
        centers (as described under section 29), small business 
        development centers, chapters of the Service Corps of Retired 
        Executives (established under section 8(b)(1)(B)), and Veteran 
        Business Outreach Centers (as described under section 32) shall 
        make the resource guide required under subsection (a) publicly 
        available on an appropriate website.
            ``(2) Distribution.--
                    ``(A) By administrator.--The Administrator shall 
                distribute the resource guide required under subsection 
                (a) electronically to offices of the Administration, 
                including district offices.
                    ``(B) By other entities.--District offices of the 
                Administration, women's business centers (as described 
                under section 29), small business development centers, 
                chapters of the Service Corps of Retired Executives 
                (established under section 8(b)(1)(B)), and Veteran 
                Business Outreach Centers (as described under section 
                32) shall--
                            ``(i) distribute the resource guide 
                        required under subsection (a) to small business 
                        concerns operating or planning to operate as 
                        child care providers; and
                            ``(ii) make available physical copies of 
                        such guide.''.

SEC. 6. REPORT ON FOR-PROFIT CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration shall submit to Congress a study and report on for-
profit child care providers that includes--
            (1) an assessment of the challenges and needs of such 
        providers;
            (2) a description of the resources and support that the 
        Small Business Administration provides to such providers;
            (3) any deficiencies in the resources and support described 
        under paragraph (2); and
            (4) any recommendations for legislative actions necessary 
        to address any challenges or needs faced by such providers that 
        are identified by the report required in this subsection.
    (b) Designated Employee Duties.--The Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration shall designate a full-time employee within the 
Administration as a point of contact for for-profit child care 
providers. Such employee shall--
            (1) carry out the study required under subsection (a); and
            (2) provide recommendations to the Administrator on how to 
        better deliver existing resources and support to for-profit 
        child care providers.
    (c) For-Profit Child Care Provider Defined.--The term ``for-profit 
child care provider'' has the meaning given the term ``eligible child 
care provider'' in section 658P of the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n) and is a provider that operates--
            (1) on a for-profit basis; and
            (2) in one or more of the several States or the District of 
        Columbia.
                                 <all>
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