II
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2182
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 8, 2012
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.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Child Care Public-Private Partnership
Act of 2012
.
Establishment of business incentive grant program
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a program to make grants to—
States, on a competitive basis, to enable eligible businesses and consortia in the States to carry out the activities described in section 4; and
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.
Applications from States and nonprofit business organizations
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.
Contents
At a minimum, an application submitted under subsection (a) by a nonprofit business organization shall contain—
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;
an assurance that such applicant will expend the grant funds for the use specified in section 2(2);
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;
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
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.
Priority
For purposes of selecting applicants to receive grants under section 2, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall—
make grants equitably under section 2 to applicants located in all geographical regions of the United States; and
give priority to applicants for grants under section 2(1).
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—
to pay start-up costs incurred to provide child care services;
to provide for assistance for the costs of child care services needed by the employees of such businesses and consortia; and
to pay for training and professional development for staff that provide child care services.
Applications from businesses and consortia
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.
Contents
At a minimum, such application shall contain—
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;
an assurance that such applicant will expend the grant funds for the use specified in section 2(1);
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;
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
information demonstrating that the applicant is located in an area without an adequate supply of licensed and regulated (as applicable) child care providers.
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.
Definitions
As used in this Act:
Business
The term business means a person engaged in commerce whose primary activity is an activity other than the provision of child care services.
Child care services
The term child care services means care for a child that is—
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
subsidized at least in part by the business that employs such parent.
Consortium
The term consortium means a partnership—
that shall include 2 or more businesses, acting jointly; and
shall include a nonprofit private organization with expertise in the provision of high-quality child care services.
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2015.