Subcommittee advances bill to create employer childcare assistance program, restores previously vetoed funding language
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Summary
The House elementary and secondary education subcommittee voted 6-0 to report House Bill 18 as amended; the bill would create an employer childcare assistance program and revive a framework tied to a previously vetoed $25 million appropriation. A committee amendment leaves eligibility details to the appropriation act.
Delegate McClure presented House Bill 18 to the subcommittee as a framework for an "employee childcare assistance program" intended to incentivize employers to contribute to employees' childcare costs and establish a public-private partnership to support early learners. "HB 18 would establish an employee childcare assistance program to provide the framework and opportunity for Virginia to build its own model to incentivize employers to contribute to the childcare cost of their employees," the sponsor said.
Supporters from business and early childhood organizations urged passage. Karen Bowles of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation said the bill is "very important as we think about ways to increase access and increase affordability for Virginia families and employers," calling it an "innovative way of leveraging state dollars." Other supporters included representatives of the Virginia Promise Partnership, the Virginia Business Roundtable for Early Education, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Roanoke Regional Chamber, the Virginia Education Association, HII, and the Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association.
The sponsor noted that a similar policy passed the General Assembly and was included in the budget last year with $25,000,000 in funding but was "ultimately line item vetoed by the previous governor." A committee analyst explained an amendment that removes the bill's income-eligibility and maximum family co-payment provisions so the appropriation act can set those parameters; the amendment returns the measure to the posture it had when the committee considered it previously.
Leader Herring moved the committee amendments and the subcommittee approved them. The body then voted to report House Bill 18 as amended; the clerk recorded the report as amended on a vote of 6 to 0. The amendment and the committee's action mean eligibility details will be set through the budget process rather than in the statute at this stage.
Next steps: HB 18 was reported as amended to the next stage of the legislative process; any appropriation language setting income thresholds or co-pay amounts will be resolved through the appropriation act or later budget action.