Children First Act of 2014

To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to exclude child care from the determination of the 5-year limit on assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Children First Act of 2014 2. Exclusion of child care from the definition of TANF assistance Section 408(a)(7) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 608(a)(7) (H) Limitation on meaning of assistance For purposes of subparagraph (A), any funds provided under this part that are used to provide child care for a family during a month under the State program funded under this part shall not be considered assistance under the program. . 3. Increase in funding for child care Section 418(a)(3) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 618(a)(3) (3) Appropriation For grants under this section, there are appropriated— (A) $3,667,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; (B) $3,917,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; (C) $4,017,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; (D) $4,317,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; (E) $4,817,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; (F) $5,017,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; (G) $5,217,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; (H) $5,417,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; (I) $5,667,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and (J) $5,917,000,000 for fiscal year 2024. . 4. Applicability of State or local health and safety standards to other TANF child care spending Section 402(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 602(a) (8) Certification of procedures to ensure that child care providers comply with applicable State or local health and safety standards A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that procedures are in effect to ensure that any child care provider in the State that provides services funded through expenditures under this part or with qualified State expenditures complies with all applicable State or local health and safety requirements as described in section 658E(c)(2)(F) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. . 5. Availability of child care for parents required to work Section 407(e)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 607(e)(2) (1) by inserting or other individual with custody parent (2) by striking 6 13 6. Application of Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 reporting rules to TANF funds expended for child care (a) In general Section 411(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 611(a) (1) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following: (7) Application of child care and development block grant Act of 1990 reporting rules to funds expended for child care Any funds provided under this part that are expended for child care, whether or not transferred to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, shall be subject to the individual and case data reporting requirements imposed under that Act and need not be included in the report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter. . (b) Conforming amendment Section 411(a)(1)(A)(ix) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 611(a)(1)(A)(ix) supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, or subsidized child care, and if the latter 2, or supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, and if the latter, 7. Effective date (a) In general Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2014, and shall apply to payments under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether regulations to implement the amendments are promulgated by such date. (b) Application of reporting rules The amendments made by section 6 shall take effect on October 1, 2015. (c) Delay permitted if State legislation required In the case of a State plan under section 402(a) of the Social Security Act which the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires State legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this Act, the State plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of such section 402(a) solely on the basis of the failure of the plan to meet such additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the close of the 1st regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.

Summary: Children First Act of 2014 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) exclude child care assistance from the determination of the five-year limit on assistance under TANF, and (2) increase funding for child care. Requires the plans submitted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) by eligible states to contain provisions for certification of procedures to ensure that child care providers comply with applicable state or local health and safety standards. Increases from 6 to 13 the maximum age allowed of a child under the care of a single custodial parent or other individual with custody who will not be subject to a reduction or termination of TANF assistance as a result of a refusal of the individual to engage in work. Subjects to the individual and case data reporting requirements of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 any TANF funds expended for child care, whether or not transferred to that Act, and exempts such funds from SSA reporting requirements.