Removes the requirement that families consent to, and cooperate with the department of human services in establishing paternity and enforcing child and medical support orders as a condition of eligibility for child care assistance.
Summary
S0062 amends Rhode Island’s child care assistance rules within the Rhode Island Works Program. The bill removes the existing requirement that a parent or caretaker relative must consent to, and cooperate with, the Department of Human Services in establishing paternity and in establishing or enforcing child support and medical support orders as a condition of eligibility for child care assistance. Under the bill, families may still voluntarily use the state’s child support services office for help with parentage or support orders, but that cooperation is no longer mandatory to receive child care assistance.
The bill leaves the rest of the child care assistance framework in place, including income eligibility tiers, sliding-fee requirements, and other program rules. It does not alter the broader eligibility structure for low-income child care, the special provisions for higher education enrollment, or the separate temporary funding for child care educators and staff. Its main legal effect is to change a condition of eligibility in § 40-5.2-20(d) by eliminating a child support cooperation requirement tied to child care benefits.
Impact
The bill directly amends § 40-5.2-20 of the Rhode Island General Laws, which governs child care assistance under the Rhode Island Works Program. By striking the mandatory cooperation requirement, it changes how the Department of Human Services administers child care eligibility and reduces the number of families who could be denied assistance for not assisting with paternity or child support enforcement. The change affects applicants for child care assistance, DHS administration, and the state’s child support enforcement linkage to benefit eligibility.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill, with passage in the Senate by a 36-0 vote. No committee transcript is available in the provided materials, but the bill’s caption and explanation indicate a focused policy change aimed at separating child care access from child support enforcement cooperation. The unanimous vote suggests broad agreement that the eligibility condition should be removed.
Contention
No direct opposition is reflected in the provided record, and there are no committee transcript excerpts showing debate. The likely policy issue underlying the bill is whether child care assistance should remain conditioned on cooperation with paternity and child support enforcement. Supporters appear to favor making child care more accessible and less punitive for families, while any potential critics would likely be concerned about losing a tool that encourages child support collection and establishment of parentage. The final vote record, however, shows no recorded dissent.