SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2478

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 6, 2022

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2478 with committee amendments.

     As amended by the committee, this bill allocates to the permanent statutes and extends the applicability of P.L.2021, c.324, which requires that subsidy payments to licensed child care providers be based on enrollment of students who are eligible for child care services, rather than on attendance.  As originally enacted, P.L.2021, c.324 would have expired on June 30, 2022.  This bill instead provides that the provisions of P.L.2021, c.324 will continue in effect for an additional three years, and will expire instead on June 30, 2025.

     As amended, the bill provides that licensed child care providers that receive subsidy payments based on enrollment are required to pay wages to its staff, and determine the number of hours worked by staff, based on the number of children enrolled with the provider who are eligible for child care services.  At no time will the amount of wages paid to staff or the number of hours worked by staff be based on the attendance of children eligible for child care services.

     P.L.2021, c.324 currently directs the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the study conducted under the provisions of P.L.2021, c.324 within 12 months following the effective date of P.L.2021, c.324.  As amended, this bill provides that, in addition to that initial report, the division will be required to submit a final report within three years following the effective date of this bill.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

     The committee amendments clarify that the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services is to submit both an initial report on the study conducted under the provisions of P.L.2021, c.324, within 12 months following the effective date of P.L.2021, c.324, and a final report within three years following the effective date of this bill.

     The committee amendments provide that licensed child care providers that receive subsidy payments based on enrollment are required to pay wages to its staff, and determine the number of hours worked by staff, based on the number of children enrolled with the provider who are eligible for child care services and not on the attendance of children.

      The committee amendments revise P.L.2021, c.324 to provide that it be codified in Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.  As originally enacted, P.L.2021, c.324 was adopted on a temporary and executed basis, and was not allocated within the permanent statutes.

      The committee amendments revise the synopsis of the bill to reflect these changes.