An Act to repeal 49.155 (1g) (i) and 49.155 (6) (e) 2., 3. and 5.; to amend 49.175 (1) (qm); to create 20.437 (2) (c) and 49.133 of the statutes; Relating to: a Department of Children and Families program to make payments to child care programs, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Summary
AB317 would authorize the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) to create a new child care quality improvement program that makes monthly payments and monthly per-child payments to eligible child care providers. The program would apply to certified child care providers, licensed child care centers, and child care programs run or contracted by school boards. These payments would be separate from, and in addition to, the existing Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy system.
The bill directs DCF to write rules for the program, including eligibility standards, payment amounts, and limits on how recipients may use the funds. It also allows DCF to use emergency rulemaking procedures so the program can be implemented more quickly, with emergency rules staying in effect until July 1, 2027, or until permanent rules take effect. The bill includes authority for DCF to investigate and recover overpayments or payments obtained through fraud.
Impact
AB317 would create a new statutory program in ch. 49 and add a new appropriation in the state budget for child care quality improvement payments. It would also change existing child care funding law by repealing certain provisions in s. 49.155 and amending the state’s child care quality funding allocation in s. 49.175 (1) (qm). In practical terms, the bill would expand state support for child care providers and school-based child care programs using state general purpose revenue and federal child care and TANF funds, while shifting away from the current YoungStar-based rate modification mechanism.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive of child care providers and early childhood access, with broad legislative sponsorship suggesting strong interest in increasing child care funding and stabilizing provider finances. The absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials limits the ability to identify detailed debate, but the bill’s structure indicates a policy emphasis on direct payments and administrative flexibility. Its failure to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 suggests that, despite support, it did not ultimately secure the necessary legislative approval.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to have been the cost of the new appropriation, the use of federal and state funds for ongoing monthly payments, and the decision to repeal the existing YoungStar-related payment adjustment provisions. Another possible issue is the breadth of DCF’s discretion to set eligibility and payment levels through rulemaking, including emergency rules that can remain in effect for an extended period. These concerns would most likely be raised by lawmakers or stakeholders focused on budget impact, administrative control, or the redesign of child care quality incentives.
Crossfiled
An Act to repeal 49.155 (1g) (i) and 49.155 (6) (e) 2., 3. and 5.; to amend 49.175 (1) (qm); to create 20.437 (2) (c) and 49.133 of the statutes; Relating to: a Department of Children and Families program to make payments to child care programs, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)