After Hours Child Care Act

To establish and expand child care programs for parents who work nontraditional hours, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the After Hours Child Care Act 2. Child Care and Development Innovation Fund (a) Establishment The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq. (1) by redesignating section 658P as section 658T, and moving that section 658T to follow section 658S; and (2) by adding at the end the following: 658U. Child Care and Development Innovation Fund (a) Purpose The purpose of this section is to— (1) improve child care access for parents working hours outside of traditional 9 to 5 work hours, such as parents working an evening, night, or weekend shift; and (2) address the needs of working parents with young children, so that the parents are able to stay attached to the workforce, attain eligibility for promotions and salary increases, and amass savings. (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Child care program The term child care program (2) Nontraditional work hours The term nontraditional work hours (A) are before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. on a weekday; (B) are on a Saturday or Sunday; or (C) are scheduled within 7 days before required attendance at work for those work hours. (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) State educational agency; local educational agency The terms State educational agency local educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 et seq. (c) General authority (1) Grants Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the After Hours Child Care Act (A) expanding capacity for an existing (as of January 1, 2024) child care program, including such a program of a family child care provider to serve families in which a parent is working nontraditional work hours; (B) entering into an enrollment-based contract with— (i) an eligible child care provider to serve such families; or (ii) a fiscal intermediary such as a staffed network of family child care providers, child care resource and referral organization, or entity operating a child care facilities fund for the services of multiple eligible child care providers to serve such families; (C) planning activities, including conducting a needs assessment and outreach to existing eligible child care providers (existing on the date of the outreach); (D) establishing an onsite child care program at a workplace to serve such families; (E) expanding capacity for an onsite child care program at a workplace to serve such families; or (F) establishing a child care program, including a program of a family child care provider with the primary goal of serving such families. (2) Duration The Secretary shall award the grant for a period of 5 years. A grant awarded under this section may not be renewed. (3) Amount The Secretary shall award the grant in an amount of not less than $25,000 and not more than $500,000. (d) Eligible entities To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be— (1) an eligible child care provider; or (2) a partnership of— (A) an eligible child care provider; and (B) a lead agency, business, child care resource and referral organization, community development financial institution, staffed network of family child care providers, another intermediary with experience supporting child care providers, or another appropriate entity. (e) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (f) Use of funds An entity that receives a grant under this section may use the grant funds for activities that may include— (1) staffing the child care program involved; (2) improving the child care facility and related equipment; (3) establishing or improving the curriculum of the child care program; (4) assisting eligible child care providers in meeting health and safety requirements, achieving licensure or registration as a child care provider, or improving quality; (5) acquiring other items needed for the child care program; and (6) providing training in the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and safe sleep practices. (g) Match The non-Federal share of the cost described in subsection (c)(1) shall be 25 percent. (h) Report Not less often than every 2 years, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that includes information on the number of children served under this section, the employment status of their parents, general information to demonstrate the impact of activities carried out under grants under this section on child care availability, and other information relevant to the grants made under this section. (i) Relationship to other requirements None of the requirements of this subchapter, other than section 658T, shall apply to this section. No reference in this subchapter to this subchapter (j) Reservation of funds The Secretary may reserve up to ¼ of 1 percent of the amount appropriated under this subchapter to carry out this section for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2028. . (b) Conforming amendments (1) Application provisions Section 658E(c)(2) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)(2) (A) in subparagraph (A)(i)(II), by striking 658P(2) 658T(2) (B) in subparagraph (K)(i)(IV), by striking 658P(6)(B) 658T(6)(B) (2) Report provisions Section 658K(a)(2) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 9858i(a)(2) (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 658P(6) 658T(6) (B) in subparagraph (F), by striking 658P(6)(B) 658T(6)(B)

Summary: After Hours Child Care Act This bill establishes a pilot program for the Administration for Children & Families to award grants to increase the capacity of child care providers to deliver services to families in which a parent is working nontraditional work hours (e.g., before 9:00 a.m., after 5:00 p.m., or on a Saturday or Sunday).