Bill > S2035

Introduced Session

This bill prohibits the Department of Human Services (DHS) from deeming certain teachers and school employees ineligible for child care subsidies due to number of hours worked when school is not in session for students. The Division of Family Development in the DHS administers the State's child care subsidy program, which provides low-and moderate-income working parents with subsidies for child care, including preschool instruction, after-school programs for children up to age 13, and care for children and teens with special needs. In order to be eligible for the program, a parent must be a New Jersey resident, work a minimum of 30 hours per week or be enrolled in a school or training program for a minimum of 20 hours, and meet certain income requirements. This eligibility criteria regarding number of weekly hours worked is challenging for teachers and school employees, who are otherwise eligible for subsidies, but who are not employed 30 hours or more a week during certain times of the year when schools are not in session for students. Currently, a teacher or other school employee, deemed eligible for subsidies initially, may be determined ineligible during the redetermination process due to non-compliance with the weekly work requirement. This bill mandates that an applicant or participant in the State' s child care subsidy program who is a teacher or other school employee is not to be determined ineligible for subsidies due to number of hours worked during weeks that fall outside of the school year. As used in the bill, "school year" means the part of the year in which a school or school district is in session for students. Moreover, a teacher or other school employee who qualifies for subsidies under the bill are not required to report to the DHS changes in the number of hours worked during weeks that fall outside of the school year, but are required to participate in any redetermination process required by the commissioner of all participants.

Committee Categories

Vin Gopal (D)*,  Bob Singer (R), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document