PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 377                       PRINTER'S NO. 2926

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 348 Session of 1993


        INTRODUCED BY HERMAN, STURLA, TIGUE, KING, STEELMAN, PLATTS,
           BELFANTI, BAKER, ULIANA, DENT, MARSICO, GODSHALL, PETTIT,
           GEIST, BOYES, RUDY, FARMER, ADOLPH, BATTISTO, CLARK, KASUNIC,
           HANNA, HALUSKA, CORNELL, M. N. WRIGHT, D. W. SNYDER, RITTER,
           HARLEY, SCHULER, STAIRS, MILLER, LAUGHLIN, TRELLO, WOGAN,
           MERRY, E. Z. TAYLOR, STABACK, JOSEPHS, PISTELLA, BUNT,
           L. I. COHEN, ARMSTRONG, MASLAND, ROEBUCK, MUNDY, LEDERER, COY
           AND GERLACH, FEBRUARY 10, 1993

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON AGING AND YOUTH, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, DECEMBER 8, 1993

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An   <--
     2     act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
     3     welfare laws of the Commonwealth," further providing for
     4     eligibility for subsidized child day care.
     5  PROVIDING FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE FOR CAREGIVERS ENROLLED IN    <--
     6     APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS.

     7     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     8  hereby enacts as follows:
     9     Section 1.  The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known    <--
    10  as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding a section to
    11  read:
    12     Section 494.  Subsidized Child Day Care.--(a)  In determining
    13  eligibility for subsidized child day care for parents or
    14  caretakers receiving vocational training, such training shall be
    15  deemed to include all of the following:
    16     (1)  Four-year baccalaureate degree programs at a college or


     1  university.
     2     (2)  Postgraduate degree programs at a college or university.
     3     (3)  English as a second language programs of fewer than
     4  twenty hours per week.
     5     (4)  General Educational Development (GED) programs of fewer
     6  than twenty hours per week.
     7     (b)  Any regulation of the department inconsistent with
     8  subsection (a) is hereby abrogated to the extent of such
     9  inconsistency.
    10     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.
    11  SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS.                                          <--
    12     THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN USED IN THIS ACT SHALL
    13  HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION UNLESS THE
    14  CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:
    15     "CARETAKER."  THE APPLICANT FOR CHILD DAY-CARE SERVICE WITH
    16  WHOM THE CHILD LIVES AND WHO IS THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR
    17  DOCUMENTING FAMILY ELIGIBILITY FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD DAY-CARE
    18  SERVICE.
    19     "CHILD DAY-CARE SERVICE."  OUT-OF-HOME CARE PROVIDED FOR PART
    20  OF THE 24-HOUR DAY AND APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
    21  WELFARE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CARE IN A CHILD DAY-CARE
    22  CENTER, GROUP CHILD DAY-CARE HOME OR FAMILY CHILD DAY-CARE HOME.
    23     "DEPARTMENT."  THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE OF THE
    24  COMMONWEALTH.
    25     "SUBSIDIZED CHILD DAY CARE."  CHILD DAY-CARE SERVICE, PAID
    26  FOR IN PART OR IN FULL WITH FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDS, PROVIDED TO
    27  ENABLE THE CARETAKER OF A CHILD TO BE EMPLOYED OR RECEIVE JOB
    28  TRAINING.
    29     "TRAINING PROGRAM."  AN INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM WHICH ENABLES
    30  THE CARETAKER TO ESTABLISH A BASIC LEVEL OF EDUCATION, TO
    19930H0348B2926                  - 2 -

     1  ESTABLISH BASIC SKILLS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE OR TO ATTAIN
     2  SKILLS WHICH QUALIFY THE INDIVIDUAL FOR A SPECIFIC JOB. THE TERM
     3  INCLUDES PROGRAMS WHICH LEAD TO AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OR A
     4  BACCALAUREATE DEGREE.
     5  SECTION 2.  APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD
     6                 CARE.
     7     (A)  REQUIREMENT OF CAREGIVER REGARDING ENROLLMENT.--A
     8  CARETAKER WHO IS ENROLLED IN A TRAINING PROGRAM ENUMERATED IN
     9  SUBSECTION (B) AND WHO PROVIDES THE DEPARTMENT WITH VERIFICATION
    10  OF ENROLLMENT AS PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE
    11  CONSIDERED TO MEET THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO
    12  QUALIFY FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE.
    13     (B)  ENUMERATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMS.--THE FOLLOWING QUALIFY
    14  AS APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS:
    15         (1)  COMPLETION OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
    16         (2)  COMPLETION OF HIGH SCHOOL.
    17         (3)  REMEDIAL COURSES AT A SECONDARY OR POSTSECONDARY
    18     LEVEL REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE INTO AN ACCREDITED TRAINING
    19     PROGRAM.
    20         (4)  A TRAINING PROGRAM AT A POSTSECONDARY LEVEL WHICH
    21     LEADS TO A SPECIFIC JOB.
    22         (5)  GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) TRAINING FOR 20
    23     OR MORE HOURS PER WEEK.
    24         (6)  ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR 20 OR MORE
    25     HOURS PER WEEK.
    26         (7)  A 2-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM WHICH QUALIFIES AN
    27     INDIVIDUAL FOR A SPECIFIC JOB.
    28         (8)  A 4-YEAR BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAM AT A COLLEGE
    29     OR UNIVERSITY WHICH QUALIFIES AN INDIVIDUAL FOR A SPECIFIC
    30     JOB.
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     1     (C)  OTHER REQUIREMENTS.--IN ADDITION TO COMPLIANCE WITH
     2  TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, THE CARETAKER SHALL RESIDE IN THIS
     3  COMMONWEALTH AND SHALL MEET FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
     4  ESTABLISHED IN DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS.
     5  SECTION 3.  DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH WAITING
     6                 LIST SERVICE PRIORITIES.
     7     THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DETERMINE BY REGULATION SERVICE
     8  PRIORITIES FOR THE CHILDREN OF ELIGIBLE CARETAKERS WHO ARE
     9  PLACED ON A WAITING LIST BECAUSE PUBLIC FUNDS FOR SERVICES ARE
    10  NOT AVAILABLE TO ENROLL THE CHILDREN IN APPROVED CHILD DAY-CARE
    11  PROGRAMS. THE SERVICE PRIORITIES SHALL INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT,
    12  TRAINING AND INCOME CRITERIA.
    13  SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.
    14     THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.











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