[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3884 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3884

 To establish a grant pilot program to provide child care services for 
the minor children of law enforcement officers to accommodate the shift 
     work and abnormal work hours of such officers, and to enhance 
              recruitment and retention of such officers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 6, 2024

 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself and Mr. Tillis) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a grant pilot program to provide child care services for 
the minor children of law enforcement officers to accommodate the shift 
     work and abnormal work hours of such officers, and to enhance 
              recruitment and retention of such officers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Child Care for Police 
Officers Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. CHILD CARE GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall establish a program to award grants to States, on a competitive 
basis, to assist States in providing funds to encourage the 
establishment and operation of child care programs to provide child 
care services for the minor children of law enforcement officers during 
the shift work and abnormal work hours of such officers.
    (b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a State shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including an assurance that 
the funds required under subsection (f) will be provided.
    (c) Period of Grant.--The Secretary shall award the grant for a 
period of 3 years.
    (d) Set-Aside.--Of the amount appropriated to carry out this Act 
for a fiscal year, not less than 20 percent shall be used to award 
grants under subsection (a) to States to provide funds to--
            (1) a law enforcement agency that employs fewer than 200 
        full-time law enforcement officers; or
            (2) a consortium comprised of law enforcement agencies, one 
        of which employs fewer than 200 such officers.
    (e) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--A State shall use a grant awarded under 
        this section to provide funds to covered entities located in 
        the State to enable the covered entities to establish and 
        operate child care programs (directly or by contract with child 
        care providers). Such funds may be used by the covered entity 
        or (through such a contract) child care provider to provide 
        assistance that may include--
                    (A) technical assistance in the establishment of a 
                child care program;
                    (B) assistance for the startup costs related to a 
                child care program;
                    (C) assistance for the training of child care 
                providers;
                    (D) assistance for law enforcement agencies to 
                provide scholarships for families;
                    (E) assistance for the provision of services to 
                care for sick children or to provide care to school-age 
                children;
                    (F) assistance through contracts entered into by 
                law enforcement agencies with local child care resource 
                and referral organizations or local health departments;
                    (G) assistance for care for children with 
                disabilities;
                    (H) assistance to maintain nonstandard hours for 
                expanded hours of child care;
                    (I) assistance for payment of expenses for 
                construction, renovation, or operation of a child care 
                facility; or
                    (J) assistance for any other relevant activity 
                determined appropriate by the State.
            (2) Application.--In order for a covered entity to be 
        eligible to receive funds from a State under this section, the 
        covered entity or, if the entity is a consortium including a 
        unit of local government, the unit of local government involved 
        shall prepare and submit to the State an application at such 
        time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        State may require.
            (3) Limitations.--With respect to grant funds received 
        under this section, a State may not provide in excess of 
        $3,000,000 from such funds to any single applicant.
    (f) Matching Requirement.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, a State shall provide assurances to the Secretary that, 
with respect to the costs to be incurred by a covered entity receiving 
funds in carrying out activities under this section, the covered entity 
will make available (directly or through donations from public or 
private entities) non-Federal contributions for such costs in an amount 
equal to--
            (1) for the first fiscal year for which the covered entity 
        receives such funds, not less than 10 percent of such costs;
            (2) for the second fiscal year for which the covered entity 
        receives such funds, not less than 25 percent of such costs; 
        and
            (3) for the third fiscal year for which the covered entity 
        receives such funds, not less than 33\2/3\ percent of such 
        costs.
    (g) Requirements of Providers.--To be eligible to receive 
assistance under a grant awarded under this section, a child care 
provider--
            (1) who receives assistance through a State shall provide 
        an assurance that the provider will comply with all applicable 
        State and local licensing and regulatory requirements and all 
        applicable health and safety standards in effect in the State;
            (2) who receives assistance through an Indian Tribe or 
        Tribal organization shall provide an assurance that the 
        provider will comply with all applicable regulatory standards; 
        and
            (3) shall establish and present a safety plan for the child 
        care facility involved.
    (h) Administration.--
            (1) State responsibility.--A State shall have 
        responsibility for administering a grant awarded for the State 
        under this section and for monitoring covered entities, and 
        child care providers, that receive funds under such grant.
            (2) Audits.--A State shall require each covered entity 
        receiving funds under the grant awarded under this section, and 
        any child care provider receiving funds through the covered 
        entity, to conduct an annual audit with respect to the 
        activities of the covered entity and the child care provider. 
        Such audits shall be submitted to the State.
            (3) Misuse of funds.--
                    (A) Repayment.--If the State determines, through an 
                audit or otherwise, that a covered entity or child care 
                provider receiving funds under a grant awarded under 
                this section has misused the funds, the State shall 
                notify the Secretary of the misuse. The Secretary, upon 
                such a notification, may seek from such a covered 
                entity or child care provider the repayment of an 
                amount equal to the amount of any such misused funds 
                plus interest.
                    (B) Appeals process.--The Secretary shall by 
                regulation provide for an appeals process with respect 
                to repayments under this paragraph.
            (4) 2-year study.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
                date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
                this section, the Secretary shall conduct a study to 
                determine--
                            (i) the capacity of covered entities, and 
                        child care providers receiving funds through 
                        such a grant, to meet the child care needs of 
                        communities within States;
                            (ii) the kinds of consortia that are being 
                        formed with respect to child care at the local 
                        level to carry out programs funded under this 
                        section; and
                            (iii) who is using the programs funded 
                        under this section and the income levels of 
                        such individuals.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 28 months after the 
                date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
                this section, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
                the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
                results of the study conducted in accordance with 
                subparagraph (A).
            (5) Four-year study.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the 
                date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
                this section, the Secretary shall conduct a study to 
                determine--
                            (i) the number of child care facilities 
                        that--
                                    (I) receive funds for construction 
                                or renovation through covered entities 
                                that received funds through a grant 
                                awarded under this section; and
                                    (II) remain in operation; and
                            (ii) the extent to which such facilities 
                        are meeting the child care needs of the 
                        individuals served by such facilities.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 52 months after the 
                date on which the Secretary first awards grants under 
                this section, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
                the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
                results of the study conducted in accordance with 
                subparagraph (A).
    (i) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Consortium.--The term ``consortium'' means a 
        partnership that includes one or more law enforcement agencies 
        and may also include a unit of local government, a child care 
        provider, or a foundation.
            (2) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a 
        law enforcement agency or a consortium.
            (3) Indian community.--The term ``Indian community'' means 
        a community served by an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
            (4) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms ``Indian 
        Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' have the meanings given the 
        terms ``Indian tribe'' and ``tribal organization'' 
        respectively, in section 658P of the Child Care and Development 
        Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n).
            (5) Law enforcement officer.--The term ``law enforcement 
        officer'' has the meaning given such term in section 2503 of 
        the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 
        U.S.C. 10533).
            (6) Law enforcement agency.--The term ``law enforcement 
        agency'' means a government agency with criminal or civil law 
        enforcement powers.
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 658P of the Child Care and Development Block 
        Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n).
    (j) Application to Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations.--In this 
section:
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (g)(1), 
        and in paragraphs (2) and (3), the term ``State'' includes an 
        Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
            (2) Geographic references.--The term ``State'' includes an 
        Indian community in subsections (e)(1) (the second place the 
        term appears), (g)(1) (the third place the term appears), and 
        (h)(4)(A)(i).
            (3) State-level activities.--The term ``State-level 
        activities'' includes activities at the Tribal level.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section, $24,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2025 through 2029.
            (2) Studies and administration.--With respect to the total 
        amount appropriated for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 
        2029 in accordance with this subsection, not more than 
        $2,500,000 of that amount may be used for expenditures related 
        to conducting studies required under, and the administration 
        of, this section.
    (l) Termination of Program.--The program established under 
subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2029.
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