Act for Better Child Care Services of 1989

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

25 January 1989

Last action

4 May 1990 · Floor

Status

Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.

Summary

Act for Better Child Care Services of 1989 - Makes eligible for services under this Act children: (1) who are less than 16 years of age; (2) whose family income does not exceed the State median income for a family of the same size; and (3) who either reside with a parent or parents who are working, seeking employment, or enrolled in a job training or educational program, or reside with a parent or parents not thus described and receive or need to receive protective services. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1994. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to make grants to applicant Indian tribes or tribal organizations for programs and activities under this Act for the benefit of Indian children. Requires the designation of a lead agency in each State which participates in the program under this Act. Requires States to submit, in order to qualify for assistance under this Act, an application and five-year plan to the Secretary. Requires the plan to specify that at least 75 percent of the State allotment will be used to provide qualified child care services to eligible children, on a sliding fee scale basis (according to specified funding methods) with priority given to services to children of families with very low incomes for their size. Requires that child care services provided out of a State allotment be provided by: (1) contracts directly with or direct grants to eligible child care providers; (2) grants to local governments to contract with such providers to provide such services directly; or (3) child care certificates distributed to parents of eligible children to enable them to purchase such services from such providers. Requires that a specified portion of State allotment funds be used to enable providers to extend the hours of operation of part-day programs to provide full-working-day child care services throughout the year. Prohibits financial assistance under this Act from being expended for the construction of a new facility, and sets forth limitations on such assistance for renovation or repair of existing facilities. Authorizes the Secretary to make planning grants, in the first year of their program participation, to States which desire to participate under this Act but cannot fully satisfy the requirements of a State plan without financial assistance. Provides for a review of the operation of a State plan during the five-year period to determine the State's continued eligibility for funds. Directs the Governors of each participating State to establish, and appoint members of, a State advisory committee on child care to assist the lead agency, review and evaluate services, make recommendations on standards and practices, and perform other functions to improve the quantity and quality of child care services. Requires the committee to have a subcommittee on licensing to review the laws applicable to, and the licensing requirements and policies of, each licensing agency regulating child care services and programs in the State (unless the State has done such a review during the four years before the establishment of the committee). Requires the subcommittee to report to the Governor on specified matters, and the Governor to report to the Secretary with comments and a plan for correcting or improving licensing, regulating, and monitoring of child care services and programs. Requires States receiving funds under this Act to designate private nonprofit community-based organizations or public organizations, including local governments, as resource and referral agencies for particular areas, and to provide assistance to such agencies. Requires each participating State to require that all employed or self-employed persons providing licensed or regulated child care complete at least 15 hours per year of specified training. Directs the State to make grants, and enter into contracts with, specified entities to provide such training to eligible providers, including family child care providers. Requires participating States to provide scholarship assistance to: (1) individuals who seek a nationally recognized child development associate credential for center-based or family child care and whose income is not more than 50 percent above the poverty line; and (2) caregivers who seek to obtain the 15-hour minimum annual training and whose income is not above the poverty line. Requires States to establish in the lead agency a clearinghouse to collect and disseminate training materials to resource and referral agencies and child care providers. Provides for child care public-private partnership. Requires participating States to carry out activities designed to encourage businesses to support or provide child care services to a reasonable mix of children of employees and nonemployees, including those from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Establishes the President's Award for Responsive Management Policy to honor public and private sector employers who have: (1) successfully implemented personnel programs and policies responsive to child care needs of working parents; or (2) made significant contributions to child care projects. Directs the Secretary of Labor to promulgate regulations for annual awards by the President. Establishes in the Department of Health and Human Services the position of Administrator of Child Care who shall: (1) coordinate all activities of the Department and of other Federal agencies relating to child care; (2) annually collect and publish State child care standards, including periodic modifications; (3) evaluate activities funded under this Act; (4) act as a clearinghouse for specified matters, including studies on salaries of child care workers; and (5) provide technical assistance to States to carry out this Act. Establishes enforcement provisions for review of State plans and monitoring of State compliance. Sets the Federal share for funding activities under a State plan at 80 percent, but raises it to 85 percent when the State demonstrates that all child care providers are appropriately licensed and regulated and that those receiving assistance meet certain requirements and minimum standards. Requires the Secretary to establish a National Advisory Committee on Minimum Child Care Standards to: (1) review Federal policies on child care services and such other data as appropriate; (2) submit to the Secretary proposed minimum standards for child care programs; and (3) develop and make available to lead agencies model regulations for resource and referral agencies. Terminates the Committee after the Secretary establishes such standards. Prohibits financial assistance under this Act from being used for: (1) any sectarian purpose or activity, including sectarian worship and instruction; and (2) with regard to services to students in grades one through 12, any services during the regular school day, or for which academic credit is given toward graduation, or which supplant or duplicate a public or private school academic program. States that financial assistance under this Act constitutes Federal financial assistance for purposes of various civil rights and nondiscrimination laws. Prohibits a child care provider from discriminating against any child on the basis of religion in providing child care services in return for a fee paid, reimbursement received, or certificate redeemed, in whole or in part with financial assistance provided under this Act. Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed or applied in any manner to infringe upon or usurp the the moral and legal rights and responsibilities of parents or legal guardians. Authorizes any State to assist in the establishment and operation of a child care liability risk retention group (i.e., a corporation or other limited liability association whose members are child care providers licensed or accredited pursuant to State and local law and standards, and which otherwise satisfies specified criteria for risk retention groups). Directs the Secretary to make allotments to each State for such child care liability risk retention groups, on the basis of a specified formula.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

25 January 1989
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Source: IntroReferral
25 January 1989
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
31 January 1989
Committee
Committee on Labor and Human Resources requested executive comment from Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Office of Management and Budget.
Source: Committee
15 March 1989
Reported
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
12 April 1989
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 43.
Source: Calendars
12 April 1989
Reported
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Kennedy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 101-17. Additional and minority views filed.
Source: Committee
12 April 1989
Reported
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Kennedy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 101-17. Additional and minority views filed.
Source: Committee
15 June 1989
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Source: Floor
16 June 1989
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
19 June 1989
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
20 June 1989
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
21 June 1989
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
22 June 1989
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
23 June 1989
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
23 June 1989
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
24 April 1990
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Source: Floor
4 May 1990
Floor
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Introduced in Senate · — · Download file
Reported to Senate · — · Download file

Documents

5 official files

Reported to Senate (text)

View file Download file

This file cannot be previewed here. Use View or Download.

Leesvertaling

Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

Vertaal naar

Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Reported to Senate (text)
Reported to Senate · EN
View Download Open at official source
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN
View Download Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 23 June 1989
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 12 April 1989
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 25 January 1989
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Related records

related to → Act for Better Child Care Services of 1990
amends ← To strike the language "such sums as may be necessary" from the bill.
amends ← To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to repeal a provision allowing use of excess contributions.
amends ← To protect sectarian providers of child care.
amends ← To permit in-home child care providers to be eligible for assistance under this Act.
amends ← Relating to application of section 89 rule to churches.
amends ← To exempt small employers from section 89.
amends ← To permit child care providers who care for relatives to be eligible for assistance under this Act.
amends ← Of a technical nature.

Showing 9 of 39 related records.

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/101st-congress/senate-bill/5
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/101/s/5
us · 101-s-5 · source updated 21 April 2025