WI SB322

Department of Children and Families (DCF) authorized to establish a Child Care Quality Improvement Program providing monthly payments and monthly per-child payments to certified child care providers, licensed child care centers, and school board-contracted child care programs

Appropriates $221,049,600 in FY 2025-26 and $220,991,100 in FY 2026-27 in state general purpose revenue, plus increases federal TANF block grant allocation for child care quality activities from $16,683,700 to $49,446,300 annually

DCF required to promulgate rules establishing eligibility requirements, payment amounts, and requirements for how recipients may use payments, with authority to use emergency rulemaking procedures

Eliminates current YoungStar quality rating system provisions that allow DCF to modify maximum Wisconsin Shares payment rates based on a child care provider's quality rating

Program operates in addition to existing Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy system, which provides subsidies to low-income parents for children under age 13 (or under 19 if disabled) who need child care for work or education activities