Bill > SB6206

This bill establishes a pilot program to make child care more accessible and affordable for first responders, who are defined as firefighters, law enforcement officers, public safety telecommunicators, emergency medical personnel, and certain human service professionals who respond to emergencies. The program will be administered by the department, which will award grants to local jurisdictions (counties, cities, or incorporated towns) to provide incentive payments to licensed or certified child care providers who care for the children of these first responders. Priority will be given to providers offering care during nonstandard hours, on short notice, or when a child is ill. The program requires selected local jurisdictions to match state grants with nonstate resources, potentially including revenue from a specific sales and use tax. The bill also amends an existing law (RCW 82.14.345) to allow this sales and use tax revenue to be used for criminal justice purposes, which now explicitly includes incentive payments for child care providers serving first responders. Finally, the department must report on the pilot program's outcomes by November 1, 2029.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6206&Year=2025&Initiative=false