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Early Care & Education- Bills

  • Early Care and Education

By Voices for VA's Kids

Bills relevant to early care and education that we are tracking. Please contact Emily Griffey at emily@vakids.org if you have any questions.

1. Value of early childhood education HJ10 (Kory) SJ52 (Marsden) resolutions recognizing the value of early childhood education.                                                         Outcome: Marsden resolution was passed by as not germane to positions the Rules committee makes. Kory resolution was tabled in House Rules.

 2. Child Care Background Check HB412 (Anderson) HB552 (Filler-Corn) HB1252 (Peace) SB639 (Hanger) UPDATE: These bills have been amended to create an interagency task force to study the implementation of a fingerprint background check system for child care providers.                                                                             Outcome: House and Senate bills received full support in committee and in floor votes. Governor McAuliffe signed the bill into law on 3/3/14.

 3. Employer Tax Credit for Child Care Expenses HB502 (Krupicka) Tax credits for employer contributions to child care center or for employee’s child care needs. Credits would apply to programs participating in the STAR Quality Rating and Improvement System. Outcome: Laid on the table in House Finance.

 4. Working Families Tax Credit HB1047 (Peace) Tax credits for families who choose a child care center participating in the STAR Quality Rating and Improvement System. Outcome: Patron asked for the bill to be laid on the table in House Finance.

 5. Full Day Kindergarten HB462 (Krupicka) Applies to 6 localities that do not currently offer full-day kindergarten; would allow them to phase in full-day kindergarten over a 10 year period. Outcome: Tabled by House Education subcommittee                HB862 (Comstock) Requires each locality that does not offer full day kindergarten to develop a plan to implement full day classes. The plan would need to be presented before the next General Assembly Session. Outcome: Patron recommended that the bill be sent to the State Board of Education to study.                                                                                    SB509 (Barker) Requires full day kindergarten to be implemented by 2016. Outcome: failed to report in Education and Health.

 6. Child Care Waiting List S195 (Stanley)- Would require DSS to offer child care to any working family below 185% of poverty. Would effectively eliminate waiting list and have a large price tag. Instead the patron has submitted a budget amendment request to add $1 million to the child care subsidy program. Outcome: Stricken at the request of the patron

 7. Voluntary preschool for all SB372 (Edwards) Would require school divisions to offer voluntary preschool for all 4 year olds by 2016.                                                   Outcome: patron recommended bill be sent to the Secretary of Education to study       SJ56 (Edwards) Asks JLARC to study the expansion of the Virginia Preschool Initiative.  Outcome: Senate Rules recommended that the Senate Finance Education Subcommittee study this issue. Senate Finance referred it the Secretary of Education.

 8. Impact of QRIS and Tiered ReimbursementSJ54 (Miller) Asks DSS to study strategies for the implementation of a tiered reimbursement system for child care providers participating in the STAR Quality Rating and Improvement System.             Outcome: Senate Rules recommended reporting. Outcome: Passed House and Senate, awaiting Governor’s signature.


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