S. 442 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 442 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 4, 2013 Mr. Reid (for Mr. Begich) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To establish a program to provide child care through public-private partnerships. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Child Care Public-Private Partnership Act of 2013. 2. Establishment of business incentive grant program The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a program to make grants to— (1) States, on a competitive basis, to enable eligible businesses and consortia in the States to carry out the activities described in section 4; and (2) nonprofit business organizations with expertise in management issues concerning operating a high-quality child care center, to provide technical information and assistance to enable businesses to provide child care services. 3. Applications from States and nonprofit business organizations (a) In general To be eligible to receive a grant under section 2, a State or nonprofit business organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (b) Contents At a minimum, an application submitted under subsection (a) by a nonprofit business organization shall contain— (1) an assurance that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the applicant in carrying out the purposes for which the grant is made, the applicant will make available State or other non-Federal early childhood contributions (such as contributions for child care, Head Start, State prekindergarten, and early intervention programs), in an amount equal to not less than $1 for every $1 of Federal funds provided under the grant; (2) an assurance that such applicant will expend the grant funds for the use specified in section 2(2); (3) an assurance that such applicant will employ strategies to ensure that child care services, provided with the technical information and assistance made available by such applicant, are provided at affordable costs, and on an equitable basis, to low- and moderate-income employees; (4) an assurance that such applicant will employ procedures to ensure that technical information and assistance provided under this Act by such applicant will be provided only to businesses that provide child care services in compliance with all State and local licensing and regulatory requirements applicable to child care providers in such State; and (5) an assurance that such applicant will employ procedures to ensure such information and assistance will be provided only to businesses located in an area without an adequate supply of licensed and regulated (as applicable) child care providers. (c) Priority For purposes of selecting applicants to receive grants under section 2, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall— (1) make grants equitably under section 2 to applicants located in all geographical regions of the United States; and (2) give priority to applicants for grants under section 2(1). 4. Grants to businesses and consortia A State that receives a grant under section 2 shall use the grant funds to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible businesses or consortia in the State in order to enable the businesses and consortia— (1) to pay start-up costs incurred to provide child care services; (2) to provide for assistance for the costs of child care services needed by the employees of such businesses and consortia; and (3) to pay for training and professional development for staff that provide child care services. 5. Applications from businesses and consortia (a) In general To be eligible to receive a grant under section 4, a business or consortium shall submit an application to the State at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the State may require. (b) Contents At a minimum, such application shall contain— (1) an assurance that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the applicant in carrying out the purposes for which the grant is made, the applicant will make available State or other non-Federal early childhood contributions (such as contributions for child care, Head Start, State prekindergarten, and early intervention programs), in an amount equal to not less than $1 for every $1 of Federal funds provided under the grant; (2) an assurance that such applicant will expend the grant funds for the use specified in section 2(1); (3) an assurance that such applicant will employ strategies to ensure that child care services, provided by such applicant, are provided at affordable costs, and on an equitable basis, to low- and moderate-income employees; (4) an assurance that such applicant will comply with all State and local child care licensing and regulatory requirements that are applicable to the applicant; and (5) information demonstrating that the applicant is located in an area without an adequate supply of licensed and regulated (as applicable) child care providers. (c) Priority For purposes of selecting applicants to receive grants under section 4, the State shall give priority to businesses that have fewer than 100 full-time employees. 6. Definitions As used in this Act: (1) Business The term business means a person engaged in commerce whose primary activity is an activity other than the provision of child care services. (2) Child care services The term child care services means care for a child that is— (A) provided on the site at which a parent of such child is employed or at a site nearby in the community in which the site is located; and (B) subsidized at least in part by the business that employs such parent. (3) Consortium The term consortium means a partnership— (A) that shall include 2 or more businesses, acting jointly; and (B) shall include a nonprofit private organization with expertise in the provision of high-quality child care services. (4) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 7. Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2016.