Child care record keeping and eligibility for child care subsidies (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Children and Families). (FE)

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill makes changes to the Wisconsin Shares program related to record keeping, eligibility requirements, and maximum payment rates for child care providers. Wisconsin Shares is part of the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program under current law, which the Department of Children and Families administers and which provides work experience and benefits for low-income custodial parents who are at least 18 years old. Under current law, an individual who is the parent of a child under the age of 13 or, if the child is disabled, under the age of 19 may receive a child care subsidy under Wisconsin Shares if the individual needs child care services to participate in various educational or work activities and satisfies other eligibility criteria. Work activities for which an individual may be eligible for a child care subsidy include work in an unsubsidized job; work in a W-2 employment position, which is subsidized; and participation in a work experience component of the food stamp program, which is also subsidized. This bill expands the work activities for which an individual may be eligible for a child care subsidy to include work in any job.

Current law requires DCF to establish maximum payment rates for licensed child care services provided under Wisconsin Shares and prohibits DCF from increasing the maximum payment rates for child care providers before June 30, 2013. This bill removes that prohibition because it is obsolete.

Who's behind it

3 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 1 is a Republican. 2 have no party on record.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DCF