D.C. Law 24-126. Office of the State Superintendent of Education Pay Parity Program for Early Childhood Educators Authorization Temporary Amendment Act of 2022.

AN ACT

To amend, on a temporary basis, the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Establishment Act of 2021 to authorize the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to create a grant program that supports pay parity for early childhood educators in accordance with the recommendations of the Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force and to enter into a sole source grant agreement for the purposes of implementing this program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Office of the State Superintendent of Education Pay Parity Program for Early Childhood Educators Authorization Temporary Amendment Act of 2022".

Sec. 2. Section 5102 of the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Establishment Act of 2021, effective November 13, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-45; D.C. Official Code § 1-325.431), is amended as follows:

(a) Subsection (c) is amended as follows:

(1) Paragraph (1) is amended by striking the phrase "; and" and inserting a semicolon in its place.

(2) A new paragraph (1A) is added to read as follows:

"(1A) With funds appropriated in Fiscal Year 2022, create an early educator pay parity program that will provide direct payments to employees of early childhood development providers in accordance with the recommendations of the Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force reports submitted to the Council on January 14, 2022, and by April 15, 2022; and".

(3) Paragraph (2) is amended to read as follows:

"(2) Pay agency administrative costs related to implementing the early educator pay parity program authorized in paragraph (1A) of this subsection or increasing the minimum compensation for employees of early childhood development providers pursuant to a salary scale passed or approved by the Council, including personnel costs, grantee or vendor costs related to distributing pay supplements to early educators, or costs related to providing technical assistance to early childhood development providers; provided, that such administrative costs shall not exceed $5,390,878 in Fiscal Year 2022 and in any fiscal year thereafter 5% of the annual amount deposited in the fund.".

(b) A new subsection (e) is added to read as follows:

"(e) Notwithstanding section 1094 of the Grant Administration Act of 2013, effective December 24, 2013 (D.C. Law 20-61; D.C. Official Code § 1-328.13), the Office of the State Superintendent of Education may enter into a sole source grant agreement in Fiscal Year 2022 for the purpose of implementing the early educator pay parity program by distributing direct payments to employees of early childhood development providers, as authorized pursuant to subsection (c)(1A) of this section.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director 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 § 1-307.47a).

Sec. 4. Effective date.

(a) This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of a 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.

(b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.