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