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Senate passes overhaul of Working Connections Child Care, tying payments to attendance
Summary
The Washington State Senate adopted committee amendments and passed substitute House Bill 2689 to change provider payment to attendance-based rates, require subsidy rates reach at least the 70th market-rate percentile, and remove scheduled income-eligibility expansions in 2029 and 2031. The bill passed 33-16.
The Washington State Senate on March 11 passed substitute House Bill 2689, a package of changes to the Working Connections Child Care program that ties provider payments to attendance, sets a minimum subsidy-rate target and rolls back planned eligibility expansions.
Senator Tess Robinson, sponsor of the striking committee amendment adopted on the floor, said the measure will pay providers "by attendance, the number of days that a child is in their care" and that subsidy rates are calibrated to achieve "at least the 70th percentile of a market rate." Robinson urged colleagues to support the amended bill.
The bill alters how the state uses market-rate survey responses to set future rates and eliminates previously scheduled income-eligibility expansions that had been slated for 2029 and 2031. Senator Claire Wilson said she supported the bill while acknowledging reductions in investment and describing the measure as "hopeful" for parents, children and providers.
Senator Mark Gildan said the bill "does provide a savings to the state," and that while he understood it drew mixed reactions, he would support it as "a step in the right direction." By contrast, Senator Braun said he would oppose final passage, arguing the bill could create unequal rules for center-based and home-based providers and leave openings to be "worked around" by some providers.
The clerk called the roll for final passage; the chair announced 33 ayes and 16 nays and declared the bill passed. The Senate then ordered the bill transmitted to the House.
Why it matters: The bill changes payment mechanics for thousands of child-care providers in Washington and sets a subsidy target tied to market rates, which supporters say better aligns payments with local costs; opponents warned the measure could create uneven treatment across provider types and leave vulnerable providers with less stable revenue.
What happens next: With constitutional passage on the floor, the amended substitute House Bill 2689 will be transmitted back to the House of Representatives for any further action required there.
Quote: "This bill makes a number of changes to our Working Connections child care program, a program that is extremely important for working parents across our state," Senator Robinson said on the floor.
Ending: The Senate adopted the striking amendment, advanced the bill to third reading and placed it on final passage during the March 11 session; formal transmittal to the House followed immediately.
