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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	December 5, 2022 11:37 AM
From:	Senator Judith L. Schwank
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	Child Care Legislation Package

In the near future, I will be reintroducing companion legislation package to that of Representative Cephas, aimed at supporting the childcare needs of parents. As Co-Chairs of the Women’s Health Caucus, both Representative Cephas and I believe in supporting parents in their efforts to not only work towards achieving their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families but become independent, self-sustaining, contributors to this Commonwealth’s economy. Most student parents have an unmet financial need after utilizing all family contributions, grants, and need-based aid. As such, these students often must work at least part-time to cover childcare and other basic expenses, leaving less time for school and lowering the likelihood of degree attainment. Therefore, this bill package is designed to better provide for the childcare needs of parents, including parents who are seeking to better their lives through higher education or workforce training, or those who are employed.

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Document #1

Description:	The first piece of legislation would create a tax credit for employers who furnish employee child day care known as the Employee Child Day Care Tax Incentive Act. An employer who furnishes employee child day care would be eligible for a tax credit in the amount of the employer's cost in furnishing employee child day care. This was SB 356 last session.

Document #2

Description:

The second piece of legislation would change the requirements for the Child Care Works program so that a parent who is not employed but who is enrolled in a postsecondary education program or a workforce training program is eligible for child care assistance for at least two years of the postsecondary education or workforce training program as long as the parent meets all other eligibility requirements.  Under this bill, counties may give priority for services to a working family over a family enrolled in postsecondary education or workforce training, and its provisions would only be effective subject to available funding. This was SB 357 last session

Document #3

Description:

The final piece of legislation would require postsecondary educational institutions to consider a student’s childcare expenses when calculating decisions on the amount of financial aid that a student is eligible to receive.  This bill would apply to Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) institutions, State-related institutions (Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, and Lincoln University), and community colleges. This was SB 355 last session.