HR3304-119

What This Bill Does

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act creates a competitive HHS grant program through the Administration for Children and Families. Lead agencies receive three-year grants to help law enforcement agencies or consortia establish and operate child care programs for minor children of law enforcement officers working shift work and nontraditional hours. At least 20 percent of annual funding must go to agencies with fewer than 200 full-time officers or consortia including such an agency. Covered entities can use funds for startup costs, provider training, child care financial assistance, sick-child care, contracts with resource and referral organizations or health departments, care for children with disabilities, nonstandard-hour care, facility operation, construction, or renovation, and related activities. No single applicant may receive more than $3 million. Non-federal match requirements rise from 10 percent in year one to 25 percent in year two and 33 1/3 percent in year three. Providers must meet CCDBG health and safety requirements, lead agencies must monitor funds and audits, misuse can trigger repayment with interest, HHS must study capacity and facilities, and the program terminates September 30, 2030.

Who Benefits and How

Law enforcement officers benefit because child care can be available during shifts, overnight work, and other nontraditional hours. Small police departments benefit from the 20 percent funding reservation for agencies with fewer than 200 full-time officers or related consortia. Child care providers benefit from startup, training, facility, nonstandard-hour, and children-with-disabilities support. Lead agencies benefit from federal funding to build child care capacity for public safety workers in their states, territories, or tribal lands.

Who Bears the Burden and How

HHS child care staff must run the grant competition, study results, oversee misuse repayment, and administer the program through fiscal 2030. Lead agencies must monitor health and safety compliance, provide technical assistance, collect annual audits, and notify HHS of misuse. Covered law enforcement agencies must submit applications and provide rising non-federal matching contributions. Federal taxpayers bear the $24 million annual authorization and up to $2.5 million in study and administration costs.

Key Provisions

• Creates three-year HHS grants for child care serving law enforcement officers working shifts and nontraditional hours.
• Reserves at least 20 percent of funding for small law enforcement agencies or consortia including them.
• Authorizes startup, training, family assistance, sick-child care, disability care, nonstandard-hour care, construction, and renovation uses.
• Requires matching funds, audits, misuse repayment, studies, and $24 million annually through fiscal 2030.