D.C. Law 22-11. Child Care Study Act of 2017.

AN ACT

To require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to contract with an entity to determine the number of child development facilities with non-traditional hours in the District that is sufficient to meet the needs of District families and to provide recommendations; to require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to contract with an entity to assess the impact of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education's increased education qualifications for staff members of child development facilities and to provide recommendations; to require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to submit each study to the Council no later than one year from the effective date of this act; and to require the Department of Employment Services to coordinate with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to share data and information regarding the District's workforce and workforce development.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Child Care Study Act of 2017".

Sec. 2. Definitions.

For the purposes of this act, the term:

(1) "Child development facility" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2(3) of the Child Development Facilities Regulation Act of 1998, effective April 13, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-215; D.C. Official Code § 7-2031(3)).

(2) "Non-traditional hours" means hours outside of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or on a 24-hour basis.

(3) "OSSE" means the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

(4) "Staff members" means child development facility center directors, child development center teachers, child development center assistant teachers, child development home caregivers, expanded child development home caregivers, and expanded child development home associate caregivers.

Sec. 3. Study of child development facilities with non-traditional hours.

(a) OSSE shall contract with an entity to conduct a study to determine the number of child development facilities with non-traditional hours in the District that is sufficient to meet the needs of District families.

(b) The entity completing the study shall:

(1) Be nationally recognized;

(2) Have expertise and knowledge of the child care industry, including costs, quality, and access;

(3) Have a demonstrated understanding of best practices in connecting families and consumers with the type of child care they need; and

(4) Have conducted a breadth of research in advancing affordable and accessible child care that supports the development and learning of children.

(c) At a minimum, the study shall:

(1) Determine the need for child development facilities with non-traditional hours, including need by ward and by type of industry of parent employment;

(2) Evaluate the current level of service being provided in the District, including:

(A) The total number of child development facilities with non-traditional hours currently operating in the District;

(B) The hours of operations of each facility;

(C) The location of each facility; and

(D) Whether the facility participates in the child care subsidy program;

(3) Identify areas of unmet need, including wards, hours, and services; and

(4) With a particular focus on expanding the number of child development facilities that participate in the child care subsidy program, provide recommendations:

(A) For expanding the number of child development facilities with non-traditional hours; and

(B) On ways the District can incentivize more child development facilities to offer non-traditional hours.

Sec. 4. Study on the impact of OSSE's regulations that require increased education qualifications for staff members.

(a) OSSE shall contract with an entity to conduct a study to assess the impact of 5A DCMR § 164 through 5A DCMR § 171 on staff members and the cost of child care in the District.

(b) The entity completing the study shall:

(1) Be nationally recognized;

(2) Have expertise and knowledge of the child care industry, including costs, quality, and access;

(3) Have a demonstrated understanding of best practices in workforce development; and

(4) Have conducted a breadth of research in advancing affordable and accessible child care that supports the development and learning of children.

(c) At a minimum the study shall, by ward:

(1) Provide demographic data on staff members in the District, including:

(A) Gender identification;

(B) Race;

(C) Ethnicity;

(D) Language spoken;

(E) Income level; and

(F) Highest level of educational attainment;

(2) Assess the impact of increased educational requirements on the cost of child care;

(3) Determine the impact of increased educational requirements on staff members working in the District; and

(4) Provide recommendations:

(A) On ways to increase educational requirements without financially burdening staff members; and

(B) That identify professional development support for staff members.

Sec. 5. Submission of studies to the Council.

OSSE shall submit the studies required in section 3 and section 4 to the Council no later than one year from the effective date of this act.

Sec. 6. Shared data and information with the Department of Employment Services.

The Department of Employment Services shall coordinate with OSSE to share data and information regarding the District's workforce and workforce development.

Sec. 7. Applicability.

(a) this act shall apply upon the date of inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.

(c)(1) The Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register.

(2) The date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of this act.

Sec. 8. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 9. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813: D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.