SB 819

This bill increases funding for child care subsidies under the Wisconsin Shares

program and requires the Department of Children and Families to increase

maximum payment rates for licensed child care services provided under Wisconsin

Shares no later than 30 days after the bill goes into effect.

The Wisconsin Works (W-2) program under current law, which is administered

by DCF, provides work experience and benefits for low-income custodial parents who

are at least 18 years old. Also, 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, who needs child care services

to participate in various educational or work activities, and who satisfies other

eligibility criteria may receive a child care subsidy for child care services under the

W-2 program. This child care subsidy program is known as Wisconsin Shares.

Under current law, DCF is directed to allocate in each fiscal year specific

amounts of money, including federal moneys received under the Temporary

Assistance for Needy Families block grant program, for various public assistance

programs. Current law directs DCF to allocate $289,215,200 in fiscal year 2017-18

and $310,369,200 in fiscal year 2018-19 for direct child care services under

Wisconsin Shares. This bill increases each of those allocations by $24,000,000 in

each of those fiscal years.

Under current law, DCF establishes maximum payment rates, within specified

parameters, for child care providers that provide child care services under Wisconsin

Shares. This bill requires DCF to increase these maximum payment rates no later

than 30 days after the bill goes into effect.