SB 596-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
04/05/2024 1408s
04/11/2024 1468s
2024 SESSION
24-3153
05/08
SENATE BILL 596-FN
AN ACT relative to the definition of disability or special needs under the child care scholarship program.
SPONSORS: Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10
COMMITTEE: Education
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill directs the department of health and human services to adopt rules relative to the definition of disability or special needs for purposes of the child care scholarship program and authorizes the department to suspend implementation for insufficient funding. The bill also makes an appropriation of available federal funds to the child care scholarship program.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
04/05/2024 1408s
04/11/2024 1468s 24-3153
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to the definition of disability or special needs under the child care scholarship program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subparagraph; New Hampshire Employment Program and Family Assistance Program; Rulemaking; Child Care Scholarship Program. Amend RSA 167:83, II by inserting after subparagraph (q) the following new subparagraph:
(r) The development and administration of the child care scholarship program as a component of the Child Care Development Block Grant. The department may suspend implementation of this subparagraph if the department lacks sufficient appropriation for implementation. Such rules shall:
(1) Identify a protected class for children at-risk of or diagnosed with a disability or special needs under the Child Care Development Block Grant.
(2) Consider in its definition delays across all domains of child development including but not limited to a child’s physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, and/or behavioral skills.
(A) The definition of "disability" or "special needs" under the child care scholarship program shall include any child who displays, or is at risk for, delayed social or emotional development.
(B) An eligible child shall not require a formal diagnosis or formal special education code, but rather shall qualify under this category so long as the child is screened and found to be delayed or at risk of delay through an approved early childhood developmental screening tool and the results verified by an approved by a child care provider and licensed treating clinician, or other approved licensed professional.
(3) Identify the standardized and/or approved early childhood developmental screening tools necessary to determine eligibility and establish the verification process by which a child’s child care provider, licensed treating clinician, or other licensed professional as reasonably identified by the department, shall verify, or otherwise certify the results of the tool.
2 Appropriation. The sum of $375,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2025 is appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of adopting rules and administering the child care scholarship program in accordance with the criteria specified in section 1 of this act. Of this amount, the governor shall determine if any remaining discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, or any other federal funds can be used for this purpose and any remainder, not to exceed $1, shall be general funds. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for the general fund share of said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
24-3153
Amended 5/6/24
SB 596-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2024-1468s)
AN ACT relative to the definition of disability or special needs under the child care scholarship program.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures | $0 | $0 - $372,000 | $744,000 | $744,000 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Federal funds; up to $1 of general funds | |||||
Appropriations | $0 | $375,000 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Federal funds; $1 of general funds | |||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] See Below • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] No | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill modifies the definition of “disability” or “special needs” to include any child who displays, or is at risk for, delayed social or emotional development. The Department of Health and Human Services states that its Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program conducts developmental monitoring of young children. For calendar year 2023, the WIC program conducted 19,067 appointments that included developmental monitoring, and referred 1,195 parents to additional services for concerns their children might be at risk of or experiencing a delay. The Department assumes that the 6.3% of children referred by WIC for additional services is reflective of the percentage of childcare scholarship recipients experiencing or at risk of a delay that are awaiting formal diagnosis. There were an average of 2,268 scholarship recipients from February 2023 to January 2024; therefore, the Department expects 143 children to be eligible for additional supplemental payments. The amount of a supplemental payment varies based on level of service: $100 per week for full time, $75 per week for half time, and $50 per week for part time. Since the Department assumes children experiencing or at risk of developmental delay will be more likely to need full time childcare, it assumes the $100 supplemental payment will be used. The Department therefore expects the bill will cost approximately $743,600 per year. This figure is an estimate only, and could be lower if the smaller supplemental payments are used, or higher if rate increases are implemented in subsequent years.
Since the bill is effective January 1, 2025, it is assumed that the fiscal impact will be half of the full year cost identified above, or approximately $372,000, in FY25. For this reason, the bill contains a $375,000 appropriation in FY25, to be funded by federal funds if available. If such funds are not available, the bill allows the Department to suspend implementation. It is therefore unknown whether the changes will be effectuated in FY25.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| April 5, 2024 | 2024-1408s |
| April 9, 2024 | 2024-1468s |
| May 16, 2024 | 2024-1933h |
| May 21, 2024 | 2024-2115h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 13, 2024 | Senate | Hearing |
| April 11, 2024 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| April 22, 2024 | House | Hearing |
| April 22, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| April 22, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
| May 14, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| May 14, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| May 16, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
May 23, 2024: Reconsider ITL (Rep. Sweeney): MF DV 177-188 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 109
May 23, 2024: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA DV 187--178 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 109
May 23, 2024: Lay SB596 on Table (Rep. Wilhelm): MF DV 182-183 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 109
May 23, 2024: Ought to Pass: MF DV 181-182 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 109
May 23, 2024: Amendment # 2024-1933h: AF DV 180-182 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 108
May 16, 2024: Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
May 16, 2024: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1933h (NT) 05/16/2024 (Vote 13-12; RC) HC 20 P. 25
May 8, 2024: Executive Session: 05/14/2024 01:00 pm LOB 210-211
May 13, 2024: Division III Work Session: 05/14/2024 10:00 am LOB 210-211
May 8, 2024: Executive Session: 05/14/2024 01:00 pm LOB 210-211
May 2, 2024: Division III Work Session: 05/10/2024 10:00 am LOB 210-211
May 2, 2024: Division III Work Session: 05/07/2024 10:00 am LOB 210-211
May 2, 2024: Referred to Finance 05/02/2024 HJ 12 P. 44
May 2, 2024: Ought to Pass: MA DV 190-170 05/02/2024 HJ 12 P. 44
April 24, 2024: Minority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study
April 24, 2024: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 04/22/2024 (Vote 11-9; RC) HC 17 P. 19
April 16, 2024: Executive Session: 04/22/2024 12:45 pm LOB 205-207
April 16, 2024: Public Hearing: 04/22/2024 09:00 am LOB 205-207
April 12, 2024: Introduced 04/12/2024 and referred to Education HJ 11 P. 103
April 11, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1468s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/11/2024; SJ 9
April 11, 2024: Committee Amendment # 2024-1468s, AA, VV; 04/11/2024; SJ 9
April 9, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1468s, 04/11/2024, Vote 7-0; SC 14A
April 5, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1408s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
April 5, 2024: Sen. Ricciardi Floor Amendment # 2024-1408s, AA, VV; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
April 5, 2024: Sen. Ricciardi Moved Ought to Pass; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
April 5, 2024: Refer to Interim Study, MF, VV; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
April 5, 2024: Sen. Lang Moved to Remove SB 596 from the Consent Calendar; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
March 26, 2024: Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/05/2024; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 13
Feb. 7, 2024: Hearing: 02/13/2024, Room 101, LOB, 09:00 am; SC 7
Feb. 2, 2024: Introduced 01/18/2024 and Referred to Education; SJ 3