HB561: AN ACT relating to child care.

Legislative Summary

Creates a new section of KRS Chapter 199 to define terms, to establish operations and requirements of a Certified Child Care Community Designation Program to be administered by the Cabinet for Economic Development for the purpose of creating new opportunities for local governments to help increase the supply of child care and early childhood education services in their communities through voluntary actions related to zoning reform and programming at the local level, and to require annual reporting to the General Assembly related to the operation of the program; amends KRS 199.881 to remove the pilot program designation of the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership; amends KRS 199.887 to establish new requirements for an employee and a child care provider who receives child care assistance from his or her employer; amends KRS 199.888 to establish a new requirement of the cabinet to develop and implement strategies and programs to promote awareness of the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership; and establishes a new requirement in KRS Chapter 199 to require the cabinet to submit by December 1, 2024, a draft standardized application for certification and draft instructions for the Certified Child Care Communities Designation Program to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children.