PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 377 PRINTER'S NO. 2926
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. 19930H0348B2926 - 3 -
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. L22L67DGS/19930H0348B2926 - 4 -