PRINTER'S NO. 341
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
369
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY A. DAVIS, KRAJEWSKI, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, ZABEL,
DALEY, HOWARD, PASHINSKI, CIRESI, CONKLIN, HARRIS, BRADFORD,
DEASY, SIMS, HOHENSTEIN, KIRKLAND, DeLUCA, O'MARA AND
GALLOWAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, FEBRUARY 3, 2021
AN ACT
Establishing the Child Care Grant Program for Front Line Medical
Facility Personnel; providing for duties of the Department of
Community and Economic Development; establishing the Child
Care Grant Program for Front Line Medical Facility Personnel
Fund; and making an appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Child Care
Grant Program for Front Line Medical Facility Personnel Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Applicant." An individual who applies for a grant in
accordance with this act.
"Child." The term includes a stepchild.
"Child care expenses." Child care expenses incurred by a
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
health care practitioner or custodial worker employed at a
medical facility during the COVID-19 disaster emergency.
"COVID-19 disaster emergency." The disaster emergency
declared in the proclamation of disaster emergency issued by the
Governor on March 6, 2020, published at 50 Pa.B. 1644 (March 21,
2020), and any renewal of the state of disaster emergency.
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Eligible child." A child who is:
(1) under 13 years of age; or
(2) between 13 years of age and 19 years of age and has
a disability, developmental delay, injury or impairment.
"Fund." The Child Care Grant Program for Front Line Medical
Facility Personnel Fund established in section 5.
"Grant." A grant for reimbursement of child care expenses
under the program.
"Health care practitioner." An individual who is authorized
to practice some component of the healing arts by a license,
permit, certificate or registration issued by a Commonwealth
licensing agency or board.
"Household income." All money or property received by a
household of whatever nature and from whatever source derived.
The term does not include the following:
(1) Periodic payments for sickness and disability other
than regular wages received during a period of sickness or
disability.
(2) Disability, retirement or other payments arising
under workers' compensation acts, occupational disease acts
and similar legislation by any government.
(3) Payments commonly recognized as old-age or
20210HB0369PN0341 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
retirement benefits paid to persons retired from service
after reaching a specific age or after a stated period of
employment.
(4) Payments commonly known as public assistance or
unemployment compensation payments by a governmental agency.
(5) Payments to reimburse actual expenses.
(6) Payments made by employers or labor unions for
programs covering hospitalization, sickness, disability or
death, supplemental unemployment benefits, strike benefits,
Social Security and retirement.
(7) Compensation received by members of the armed forces
of the United States serving in a combat zone.
"Medical facility." Any public or private hospital, clinic,
center, medical school, medical training institution, health
care facility, physician's office, infirmary, dispensary,
ambulatory surgical treatment center or other institution or
location wherein medical care is provided to any person.
"Program." The Child Care Grant Program for Front Line
Medical Facility Personnel established in section 3.
Section 3. Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Child Care Grant Program for Front
Line Medical Facility Personnel is established. The program
shall be administered by the department to provide grants to
reimburse health care practitioners and custodial workers
employed at medical facilities for child care expenses incurred
during the COVID-19 disaster emergency.
(b) Eligibility.--The following apply:
(1) The department may award a grant to an individual
who incurs child care expenses for an eligible child if the
individual has household income no greater than $75,000 and
20210HB0369PN0341 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
is one of the following:
(i) a health care practitioner at a medical
facility; or
(ii) a custodial worker at a medical facility.
(2) A household income amount of $150,000 shall apply in
determining eligibility under this subsection if more than
one individual in the household:
(i) incurs child care expenses for the same child;
and
(ii) meets the qualifications under paragraph (1)(i)
or (ii).
Section 4. Application.
(a) Submission.--An individual may submit an application to
the department requesting a grant. The application shall be on
the form required by the department and shall include or
demonstrate all of the following:
(1) The name and address of the applicant.
(2) A statement that the applicant is an eligible
recipient under the program.
(3) A statement of the amount of grant sought.
(4) Verification of child care expenses incurred
following the COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration.
(4) Reasonable proof of household income.
(5) Verification of the employment status of the
applicant, including job title and place of employment, as
prescribed by the department.
(6) Any other information required by the department.
(b) Review.--The department shall review the application to
determine whether the applicant is eligible to receive a grant.
(c) Approval.--The following shall apply:
20210HB0369PN0341 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(1) Upon being satisfied that all requirements have been
met, the department may approve the application and award to
an applicant a grant in an amount not to exceed $2,500 for
each eligible child for which the applicant has incurred
child care expenses.
(2) The department may impose any other terms and
conditions on the grants authorized under this act as the
department determines is in the best interest of the
Commonwealth.
Section 5. Fund.
The Child Care Grant Program for Front Line Medical Facility
Personnel Fund is established in the State Treasury as a special
fund. The money in the fund shall be used by the department to
carry out the provisions of this act.
Section 6. Limitations.
The following apply:
(1) In no case shall the aggregate amount of grants paid
under this act exceed the appropriation to the fund for the
program.
(2) In the event that the money in the fund is
insufficient to provide grants to all grant recipients,
grants shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
(3) A grant awarded under this act shall in no way
constitute an entitlement derived from the Commonwealth or a
claim on any other funds of the Commonwealth.
Section 7. Guidelines.
The department shall develop written guidelines for the
program.
Section 8. Appropriation.
The sum of $5,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
20210HB0369PN0341 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Child Care Grant
Program for Front Line Medical Facility Personnel Fund to be
used exclusively for the purposes of this act.
Section 9. Applicability.
This act shall apply to child care expenses incurred
beginning March 6, 2020, until the COVID-19 disaster emergency
declaration is terminated or expires under 35 Pa.C.S. ยง 7301(c)
(relating to general authority of Governor).
Section 10. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
20210HB0369PN0341 - 6 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10