2014 -- S 2317

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

     Introduced By: Senators Crowley, Goldin, Pichardo, Cool Rumsey, and Miller

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 40-5.2-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-5.2 entitled "The

Rhode Island Works Program" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     40-5.2-20. Child care assistance. -- Families or assistance units eligible for childcare

assistance.

      (a) The department shall provide appropriate child care to every participant who is

eligible for cash assistance and who requires child care in order to meet the work requirements in

accordance with this chapter.

      (b) Low-Income child care. - The department shall provide child care to all other

working families with incomes at or below one hundred eighty percent (180%) of the federal

poverty level, if and to the extent such other families require child care in order to work at paid

employment as defined in the department's rules and regulations. or for time spent in an education

or training program provided, that the adult member of the family is employed for at least twenty

(20) hours per week and child care is required for the adult to attend the program.

      (c) No family/assistance unit shall be eligible for child care assistance under this chapter

if the combined value of its liquid resources exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Liquid

resources are defined as any interest(s) in property in the form of cash or other financial

instruments or accounts which are readily convertible to cash or cash equivalents. These include,

but are not limited to, cash, bank, credit union, or other financial institution savings, checking and

money market accounts, certificates of deposit or other time deposits, stocks, bonds, mutual

funds, and other similar financial instruments or accounts. These do not include educational

savings accounts, plans, or programs; retirement accounts, plans, or programs; or accounts held

jointly with another adult, not including a spouse. The department is authorized to promulgate

rules and regulations to determine the ownership and source of the funds in the joint account.

      (d) As a condition of eligibility for child care assistance under this chapter, the parent or

caretaker relative of the family must consent to and must cooperate with the department in

establishing paternity, and in establishing and/or enforcing child support and medical support

orders for all children in the family in accordance with title 15 of the general laws, as amended,

unless the parent or caretaker relative is found to have good cause for refusing to comply with the

requirements of this subsection.

      (e) For purposes of this section "appropriate child care" means child care, including

infant oddler toddler, pre-school, nursery school, school-age, which is provided by a person or

organization qualified, approved, and authorized to provide such care by the department of

children, youth, and families, or by the department of elementary and secondary education, or

such other lawful providers as determined by the department of human services, in cooperation

with the department of children, youth and families and the department of elementary and

secondary education.

      (f) Families with incomes below one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable federal

poverty level guidelines shall be provided with free childcare. Families with incomes greater than

one hundred percent (100%) and less than one hundred eighty (180%) of the applicable federal

poverty guideline shall be required to pay for some portion of the childcare they receive,

according to a sliding fee scale adopted by the department in the department's rules.

      (g) In determining the type of childcare to be provided to a family, the department shall

take into account the cost of available childcare options, the suitability of the type of care

available for the child, and the parent's preference as to the type of child care.

      (h) For purposes of this section "income" for families receiving cash assistance under

section 40-5.2-11 means gross earned income and unearned income, subject to the income

exclusions in subdivisions 40-5.2-10(g)(2) and 40-5.2-10(g)(3) and income for other families

shall mean gross earned and unearned income as determined by departmental regulations.

      (i) The caseload estimating conference established by chapter 17 of title 35 shall forecast

the expenditures for childcare in accordance with the provisions of section 35-17-1.

      (j) In determining eligibility for child care assistance for children of members of reserve

components called to active duty during a time of conflict, the department shall freeze the family

composition and the family income of the reserve component member as it was in the month prior

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to the month of leaving for active duty. This shall continue until the individual is officially

discharged from active duty.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

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     This act would allow a family to qualify for low-income child care assistance for the time

an adult member of the family is participating in education or training, provided that the adult is

working at least 20 hours per week, and such child care is necessary.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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