SB540: Bill Text

SB540,7,5 (c) Make the loan repayment assistance payments under pars. (a) and (b) from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (cw) subject to the availability of funds.

SB540,7,11 (d) Promulgate rules to implement and administer this section, including rules establishing the criteria and procedures for loan repayment assistance and, after first consulting with the department of health and social services, defining "child care worker" for the purposes of this section. The definition of "child care worker" shall include any child care position specified in rules of the department of health and social services relating to day care and family day care centers for children.

Note: Establishes a program for child care worker loan repayment assistance to be administered by the higher educational aids board (HEAB) and appropriates $50,000 GPR for the 1996-97 fiscal year.

Under the bill, a child care worker is eligible for up to $5,000 in educational loan repayment assistance.

Under the bill, the department of education (DOE) reimburses a child care worker for 10% of the outstanding principal amount of educational loans of the child care worker or $1,000, whichever is less, if all of the following apply:

1. The child care worker has been continuously employed full-time in this state as a child care worker in a licensed group day care center or family day care home for not less than 12 months.

2. The child care worker graduated on or after May 1, 1996 from a Wisconsin college or technical school with a degree in an area relating to early childhood education.

3. The child care worker is currently in repayment on any educational loan and is not in default on repayment.

After initial reimbursement under the program, a child care worker is eligible for additional loan repayment assistance payments, up to a maximum of 4 additional reimbursements, in the same manner as initial reimbursement under the program.

SB540, s. 6 Section 6. 39.385 (1) (intro.) and (2) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes, as created by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), are amended to read:

SB540,7,16 39.385 (1) (intro.) There is established, to be administered by the board department, a loan repayment assistance program for resident child care workers who meet all of the following requirements:

SB540,8,1 (2) (intro.) The board department shall:

SB540,8,9 (a) Reimburse a child care worker for 10% of the outstanding principal amount of any student loans of the child care worker or $1,000, whichever is less, for the 12-month period of eligibility under sub. (1). As a condition of eligibility for loan repayment assistance under this paragraph, the child care worker shall submit to the board department, on a form prescribed by the board department, a statement certified by the lender of an applicable student loan, within 30 days previous to the filing of the submission, that the loan repayment status of the borrower is not in default and the outstanding principal amount of the applicable student loan.

Note: Amends the language of s. 39.385, effective July 1, 1996, to require DOE to administer the child care worker loan repayment assistance program. Under 1995 Wisconsin Act 27, HEAB will be eliminated and its functions will be transferred to DOE on July 1, 1996.

SB540, s. 7 Section 7. 46.031 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB540,8,15 46.031 (4) Plans for county community aids budgets. In developing its proposed budget for the expenditure of funds allocated under s. 46.40, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23, in addition to using the open public participation process under sub. (3), shall consult with any local early childhood council established under s. 46.983 within the county.

Note: Requires a county department of social services or human services (county department) to consult with any local early childhood council established within the county served by the county department when developing its proposed budget for the expenditure of community aids funding.

SB540, s. 8 Section 8 . 46.983 of the statutes is created to read:

SB540,8,20 46.983 Local early childhood council grants. (1) Purpose. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (3) (cr), the department shall provide grants, awarded under sub. (2), to public agencies or private, nonprofit organizations for the establishment or operation, or both, of local early childhood councils.

SB540,9,4 (2) Grant awards; amounts. (a) Grants shall be awarded by a body consisting of 2 representatives of the department of health and family services, 2 representatives of the department of industry, labor and job development and 2 representatives of the department of education.

SB540,9,7 (b) A grant may be awarded only to an applicant that agrees to match the grant or to secure a match from local sources, through money or in-kind services, or both, as follows:

SB540,9,9 1. During the first year of the grant, in the amount of at least 25% of the amount received for that year.

SB540,9,11 2. During the 2nd and subsequent years of the grant, in the amount of at least 50% of the amount received for each year.

SB540,9,14 (c) Each grant application shall include proof of the applicant's ability to comply with par. (b). Any in-kind services proposed under par. (b) are subject to the approval of the body awarding grants under par. (a).

SB540,9,25 (3) Grant awards; criteria. In evaluating applications for grants, the body under sub. (2) (a) shall give priority to proposals that involve the planning and participation of multiple individuals and organizations, including child care providers, as defined in s. 46.98 (1) (am), employers, parents, head start agencies designated under 42 USC 9836, child care resource and referral service grant recipients under s. 46.984, school districts, private schools, counties, cities, villages, towns, tribal governments, providers of early childhood education, early childhood family education center grant recipients under s. 48.982 (6), right from the start grant recipients under s. 48.982 (7) and other individuals and organizations that have a demonstrated interest in or knowledge of child care, early childhood education or other services for young children and their families.

SB540,10,4 (4) Use of funds; functions of local early childhood councils. Any amounts granted under this section shall be used for the establishment or operation, or both, of a local early childhood council. A local early childhood council funded under this section shall do all of the following:

SB540,10,6 (a) Designate an individual to serve as the facilitator of the local early childhood council.

SB540,10,10 (b) Conduct an assessment of child care and early childhood education programs and other services for young children and their families that are available in the community and an assessment of the need for those programs and services in the community.

SB540,10,11 (c) Develop a plan to do all of the following:

SB540,10,13 1. Increase the supply and accessibility of high-quality child care and early childhood education programs in the community.

SB540,10,18 2. Foster coordination and communication between providers of child care and early childhood education, employers, the local public schools, parents and other appropriate individuals and organizations in the community to maximize the accessibility and quality of, and to minimize duplication in, the programs and services that are available in the community for young children and their families.

SB540,10,21 3. Promote and increase public awareness of the characteristics and importance of high-quality child care and early childhood education for young children.

SB540,10,24 (d) Advise the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 on the development of the county department's proposed budget for the expenditure of funds allocated under s. 46.40.

SB540,11,5 (5) Membership of local early childhood councils. Membership on a local early childhood council funded under this section shall be open to all persons and organizations in the community with a demonstrated interest in or knowledge of child care, early childhood education or other services for young children and their families and shall include all of the following persons as members:

SB540,11,6 (a) One or more parents of young children.

SB540,11,7 (b) One or more providers of family child care.

SB540,11,8 (c) One or more providers of center-based child care.

SB540,11,9 (d) One elected county official.

SB540,11,10 (e) One or more representatives of each of the following:

SB540,11,11 1. A local employer.

SB540,11,12 2. The local school district.

SB540,11,14 3. The county department receiving child care funds under s. 46.98 and any entity administering those funds if different from the county department.

SB540,11,15 4. The local health department, as defined in s. 250.01 (4).

SB540,11,17 5. A local agency providing child care resource and referral services funded by a grant under s. 46.984.

SB540,11,19 (6) Rules. The department, in consultation with the department of education, shall promulgate rules to implement this section.

Note: Establishes a local early childhood council grant program and appropriates $100,000 GPR for the program in the 1996-97 fiscal year.

Under the bill, a body consisting of 2 representatives of the department of health and family services (DHFS), 2 representatives of the department of industry, labor and job development (DILJD) and 2 representatives of the department of education (DOE) shall evaluate applications and award grants for the establishment or operation, or both, of local early childhood councils. Any public agency or private, nonprofit organization may apply for a grant.

The bill requires a grant recipient to match the grant or secure a match from local sources, through money or in-kind services, or both, as follows:

1. During the first year of the grant, in the amount of at least 25% of the amount received for that year.

2. During the 2nd and subsequent years of the grant, in the amount of at least 50% of the amount received for each year.

Each application for a grant must include proof of the applicant's ability to provide the local match required by the bill. In addition, any in-kind services proposed to be used as part of the required local match are subject to the approval of the grant-awarding body.

The bill specifies that amounts granted are to be used for the establishment or operation, or both, of a local early childhood council. Membership in a council is open to all persons and organizations in the community with a demonstrated interest or knowledge of child care, early childhood education or other services for young children and their families. At a minimum, a local early childhood council must include all of the following as members:

1. One or more parents of young children.

2. One or more providers of family child care.

3. One or more providers of center-based child care.

4. One elected county official.

5. One or more representatives of each of the following:

a. A local employer.

b. The local school district.

c. The county department.

d. Any entity with which the county department contracts to administer child care funds.

e. The local health department.

f. A local agency providing child care resource and referral services.

Under the bill, a local early childhood council funded under the grant program must do all of the following:

1. Designate an individual to serve as the facilitator of the local early childhood council.

2. Conduct an assessment of existing child care and early childhood education programs and other services for young children and their families in the community.

3. Conduct an assessment of the need for child care and early childhood education programs and other services for young children and their families available in the community.

4. Develop a plan to do all of the following:

a. Increase the supply and accessibility of high-quality child care and early childhood education programs in the community.

b. Foster coordination and communication between providers of child care and early childhood education, employers, the local public schools, parents and other appropriate individuals and organizations in the community to maximize the accessibility and quality of programs and services that are available for young children and their families and minimize duplication in those programs and services.

5. Promote and increase public awareness of the characteristics and importance of high-quality child care and early childhood education for young children.

6. Advise the county department on the development of the county department's proposed budget for the expenditure of community aids funding.

Under the bill, when evaluating applications for grants, the grant-awarding body is required to give priority to proposals which involve the planning and participation of multiple individuals and organizations, including all of the following:

1. Child care providers.

2. Head start agencies.

3. Child care resource and referral agencies.

4. School districts.

5. Private schools.

6. Local units of government.

7. Providers of early childhood education.

8. Parents.

9. Employers.

10. Family resource centers.

11. Recipients from right from the start grants.

12. Other individuals and organizations that have demonstrated interest in, or knowledge of, child care, early childhood education or other sources for young children and their families.

The bill directs DHFS, in consultation with DOE, to promulgate rules to implement the grant program.

SB540, s. 9 Section 9. 66.521 (2) (k) 22. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB540,13,3 66.521 (2) (k) 22. Child care centers, as defined in s. 231.01 (3c), except that this subdivision does not apply on or after March 31, 1994.

Note: Authorizes cities, villages and towns to issue bonds to provide financing to nonprofit child care centers. Specifically, this Section deletes the provision in current law which terminated that authority on March 31, 1994.