Promoting Equitable Access to Paid Family Leave Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4462 | Sponsor: Rep. LaHood, Darin (R-IL)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Promoting Equitable Access to Paid Family Leave Act of 2021
This bill allows the parent of a child who is eligible for child care assistance to receive payments equal to the average subsidy payment for such assistance in lieu of receiving the assistance during the three-month period beginning on the date of the child's birth or adoption.

To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to provide for parental 
  leave payments to parents after the birth or adoption of a child in 
         lieu of child care assistance, 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 ``Promoting Equitable Access to Paid 
Family Leave Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PARENTAL LEAVE PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.

    Section 418 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 618) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d) Grant Condition.--
            ``(1) In general.--As a condition of receiving a grant 
        under this section, a State shall provide the parent of an 
        eligible child the option to receive, in accordance with this 
        section, a payment, which may be made on a monthly, biweekly, 
        or weekly basis, for each month in the parental leave period 
        with respect to such eligible child, in lieu of receiving any 
        child care services described in the Child Care and Development 
        Block Grant Act of 1990 during the period.
            ``(2) Amount.--The amount of a payment made pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) with respect to an eligible child shall be not 
        less than the average subsidy payment in the applicable market 
        area within the State for the provision of child care services 
        for infants, across all categories of care.
            ``(3) Application.--To receive a payment pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) with respect to an eligible child, the parent of 
        the eligible child shall submit an application to the lead 
        agency, or agency designated by the lead agency, of the 
        applicable State before the beginning of the parental leave 
        period with respect to the eligible child. The application 
        shall include--
                    ``(A) assurances by the applicant--
                            ``(i) that the eligible child will not be 
                        receiving any child care services described in 
                        such Act during the period paid for by funds 
                        made available under this part; and
                            ``(ii) that the applicant will not be 
                        receiving paid parental leave from any other 
                        source during the period;
                    ``(B) documentation demonstrating that the 
                applicant was working or attending a job training or 
                educational program, as defined by the State, for at 
                least 4 consecutive quarters ending on the date of 
                application; and
                    ``(C) any other such assurances or documentation 
                the State may require.
            ``(4) Transition to child care services.--A parent of an 
        eligible child receiving a payment pursuant to paragraph (1) 
        shall be provided the option to enroll in child care services 
        provided under such Act immediately after the end of the 
        parental leave period with respect to the eligible child.
            ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Eligible child.--The term `eligible child' 
                has the meaning given the term in section 658P(4) of 
                such Act without regard to subparagraph (C).
                    ``(B) Lead agency.--The term `lead agency' has the 
                meaning given the term with respect to a State in 
                section 658D of such Act.
                    ``(C) Parental leave period.--The term `parental 
                leave period' means the 3-month period beginning on the 
                date of birth or adoption, as applicable, of an 
                eligible child.
            ``(6) Clarification.--For purposes of subsection (b)(2), a 
        payment pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, shall be 
        considered child care assistance.''.
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