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<bill bill-stage="Introduced-in-Senate" dms-id="A1" public-private="public" slc-id="S1-HEN25006-LNY-J3-TFV"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
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<dc:title>119 S273 IS: Small Business Child Care Investment Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. Senate</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2025-01-28</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">II</distribution-code><congress>119th CONGRESS</congress><session>1st Session</session><legis-num>S. 273</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><action><action-date date="20250128">January 28, 2025</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="S402">Ms. Rosen</sponsor> (for herself, <cosponsor name-id="S376">Ms. Ernst</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="S323">Mr. Risch</cosponsor>, and <cosponsor name-id="S327">Mr. Warner</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the <committee-name committee-id="SSSB00">Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title>To allow nonprofit child care providers to participate in certain loan programs of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body><section id="id48A35DA503724697B98C0F7A8ECE0D47" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Small Business Child Care Investment Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" section-type="subsequent-section" id="id5a6a68e7e3824449bbce0e4c62208081"><enum>2.</enum><header>Small business loans for nonprofit child care providers</header><subsection id="H6BED468ADE4F44ABAFA32F5C0D836796"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Business loan program</header><text>Section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/632">15 U.S.C. 632(a)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block id="H002BB4F4B8134C5CA3FD1F38F5C63A20" style="OLC"><paragraph id="HB31A0080E83141F18DCB7D364AE6DA42"><enum>(10)</enum><header>Nonprofit child care providers</header><subparagraph id="HCED1FCF421AA4078B91303D587E4FD9A"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this paragraph, the term <quote>covered nonprofit child care provider</quote> means an organization—</text><clause id="H69CCC0AED7CD463C9E8CE266E2E25356"><enum>(i)</enum><text>that—</text><subclause id="HA91D6D9363BB4A818CA2787CB33E4C52"><enum>(I)</enum><text>is in compliance with licensing requirements for child care providers of the State in which the organization is located;</text></subclause><subclause id="H6949E31A23954617AEAA186E20A6CE68"><enum>(II)</enum><text>is described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/501">section 501(c)(3)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code;</text></subclause><subclause id="H4F00BCAA994B454D8C31D7517A3F9409"><enum>(III)</enum><text>is primarily engaged in providing child care for children from birth to compulsory school age; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H9FD47126C2BB4AB7A298B6D0397FF8C5"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>is in compliance with the size standards established under this subsection for business concerns in the applicable industry;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H2D011D691BFF4A4FABA95E8B6C7E167C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>for which each employee and regular volunteer complies with the criminal background check requirements under section 658H(b) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9858f">42 U.S.C. 9858f(b)</external-xref>);</text></clause><clause id="H0A4698D2E71344D8A8CFDD3194B6EBD6"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>that may—</text><subclause id="H46B80CD87B4848C9A028440FE706858A"><enum>(I)</enum><text>provide care for school-age children outside of school hours or outside of the school year; or</text></subclause><subclause id="H8AB12495900241EA8147A37B33B6F9C1"><enum>(II)</enum><text>offer preschool or prekindergarten educational programs; and</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H66A35A5A3F324FADB678B3250E17015B"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>subject to any exemption under Federal law applicable to the organization, that certifies to the Administrator that the organization will not discriminate in any business practice, including providing services to the public, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or national origin.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB93AB4AC49454FFDB097A75ECAF1D9F6"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Eligibility for certain loan programs</header><clause id="HEA4BAEE412F84BCCAC185679B6A36508"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, a covered nonprofit child care provider shall be deemed to be a small business concern for purposes of loans and financings under section 7(a).</text></clause><clause id="HEFB58741E4A44BA7850A241DE230EC06"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Prohibition on direct lending</header><text>A loan or financing to a covered nonprofit child care provider made under the authority under clause (i) shall be made in cooperation with banks, certified development companies, or other financial institutions through agreements to participate on a deferred (guaranteed) basis. The Administrator is prohibited from making a direct loan or financing or entering an agreement to participate on an immediate basis for a loan or financing made to a covered nonprofit child care provider under the authority under clause (i).</text></clause><clause id="HE3B5C49ECBA74751A0D819524BEF94DA"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Loan guarantee</header><text>A covered nonprofit child care provider—</text><subclause id="H8DF739CBEE1645E984E4A106480016A4"><enum>(I)</enum><text>shall obtain a guarantee of timely payment of the loan or financing from another person or entity to be eligible for such loan or financing of more than $500,000 under the authority under clause (i); and</text></subclause><subclause id="HA6752A7B6D2941E2A455BB3E8732D4F0"><enum>(II)</enum><text>may not be required to obtain a guarantee of timely payment of the loan or financing to be eligible for such loan or financing that is not more than $500,000 under the authority under clause (i).</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCC2A1B82F1D14767BCD286A45B761123"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Limitations</header><clause id="H8A602C51905144C396EEBBAFCF5AA4FE"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Basis for ineligibility</header><text>The Administrator may not determine that a covered nonprofit child care provider is not eligible for a loan or financing described in subparagraph (B)(i) on the basis that the covered nonprofit child care provider is associated with an entity whose activities are protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as interpreted by the courts of the United States.</text></clause><clause id="H87C3FED48DEA42D4B8756EF63BA1EDB0"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text>A covered nonprofit child care provider receiving a loan or financing described in subparagraph (B)(i) may not use the proceeds of the loan or financing for a religious activity protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as interpreted by the courts of the United States.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="H54AC7407637643F0BFFC1A30B172CC2B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>504 program</header><text>Section 502 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/696">15 U.S.C. 696</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H02E6809F36AB4FE6AED64F7FE4FD5DE8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking <quote>The Administration</quote> and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block id="H2CE70AD369C945D1B95BC589CF8582BE" style="OLC"><subsection id="H4FB12CE704B84AAAB2B6CBCDDA6ABA50"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Administration</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="H6E3FC8234BEC469089F1225F8A46ABEC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block id="HE0B1A00B7D3D4D55B9F1D33986B58435" style="OLC"><subsection id="H83EA796B6B7A40BDAC5BADA97E4C92C5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Nonprofit child care providers</header><paragraph id="H154BE43E43ED4563BE290D1BC5E38D11"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this subsection, the term <quote>covered nonprofit child care provider</quote> has the meaning given that term in section 3(a)(10) of the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/636">15 U.S.C. 636(a)(10)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H45CD0B7D0F7E4186A0CC061A030A6722"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligibility for certain loan programs</header><subparagraph id="HAF7D96886E4542BA89827975EC9B3465"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a covered nonprofit child care provider shall be deemed to be a small business concern for purposes of loans and financings under this title.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9119BD831FC84BCCA96862B893E226D8"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Prohibition on direct lending</header><text>A loan or financing to a covered nonprofit child care provider made under the authority under subparagraph (A) shall be made in cooperation with banks, certified development companies, or other financial institutions through agreements to participate on a deferred (guaranteed) basis. The Administrator is prohibited from making a direct loan or financing or entering an agreement to participate on an immediate basis for a loan or financing made to a covered nonprofit child care provider under the authority under subparagraph (A).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9F3462B349014B8DB99A04073143DD14"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Loan guarantee</header><text>A covered nonprofit child care provider—</text><clause id="H9D6AB4D9128C4307923F68C00D3F13C3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall obtain a guarantee of timely payment of the loan or financing from another person or entity to be eligible for such loan or financing of more than $500,000 under the authority under subparagraph (A); and</text></clause><clause id="H7F02CB3E45FC42E7A08E478F564CB6A7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>may not be required to obtain a guarantee of timely payment of the loan or financing to be eligible for such loan or financing that is not more than $500,000 under the authority under subparagraph (A).</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE194F72A5B494D77851B6FE5420A7EB3"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Limitations</header><subparagraph id="H909A7F1D85E84D7D970562B52CC221C2"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Basis for ineligibility</header><text>The Administrator may not determine that a covered nonprofit child care provider is not eligible for a loan or financing described in paragraph (2)(A) on the basis that the covered nonprofit child care provider is associated with an entity whose activities are protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as interpreted by the courts of the United States.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBB66D82B6D774EC18BD7BE59ED9E6FF3"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Use of funds</header><text>A covered nonprofit child care provider receiving a loan or financing described in paragraph (2)(A) may not use the proceeds of the loan or financing for a religious activity protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as interpreted by the courts of the United States.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H88923CC63C3F473AA2041182771B829B"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reporting</header><paragraph id="H5DA320D0673E429CA044199CFD9AB08F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this subsection, the term <quote>covered nonprofit child care provider</quote> has the meaning given the term in paragraph (10) of section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/632">15 U.S.C. 632(a)</external-xref>), as added by subsection (a).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5CAA575AED16428498302AF92F11C777"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall submit to Congress a report that contains—</text><subparagraph id="HECA69E543A8C4B8E93ED491F072E21A3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>for the year covered by the report—</text><clause id="H5A1D581C6A4D461E9D329D2576F0BF25"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the number of loans and financings made under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/636">15 U.S.C. 636(a)</external-xref>) to covered nonprofit child care providers;</text></clause><clause id="HD1357BFCA8C04DFF9C1CA7B3BE10FDF7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the amount of the loans and financings described in clause (i);</text></clause><clause id="H7678230BB03B4CC6AF902775AFDE435E"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the number of loans and financings provided under title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/15/695">15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.</external-xref>) to covered nonprofit child care providers; and</text></clause><clause id="H28AC7B9AE21847EEAC09C3791C6259C5"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the amount of the loans and financings described in clause (iii); and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC6062B5A99214BF7835D73D03FFF2EC8" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><text>any other information determined relevant by the Administrator.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section></legis-body></bill> 

