SB 1101 Summary

• Transfers early childhood programs from the Department of Social Services and Department of Public Health to the new Office of Early Childhood, effective July 1, 2015, including child care subsidies, school readiness programs, and child care licensing.

• Establishes the Office of Early Childhood as the regulatory authority for child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes, replacing previous departmental oversight.

• Increases professional development funding from $500,000 to $1 million annually for early childhood program staff pursuing higher education degrees or competency-based training.

• Modifies child care subsidy program eligibility to allow eligibility periods prescribed by federal law and expands the Early Childhood Cabinet from four to eight gubernatorial appointees with specific expertise in federal grant administration and education services.

• Replaces terminology throughout statutes from "child day care" to "child care" to modernize language related to child care services and facilities.