NJ S4604

Requires the Department of Children and Families to develop a unified child care finder web and mobile application that allows parents to search for licensed child care centers and registered family day care providers by location, distance, program type, and hours of operation

Mandates that each child care provider have a profile displaying name, contact information, license number, inspection results, complaint history, capacity, waitlist status, tuition fees, subsidies accepted, and program details

Enables parents to apply for enrollment, communicate with providers through secure messaging, and pay deposits and tuition directly through the platform, including integration with child care assistance subsidies

Requires the department to contract with a qualified third-party vendor within 90 days, launch a pilot program in three counties (one each from northern, central, and southern regions) within 270 days, and release statewide within one year

Appropriates $3,600,000 from the General Fund to implement the child care finder system