Child Care ACCESS (Affordable Child Care for Early Success and Security) Act

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Improving the Affordability of Child Care

Title II: Enhancing the Quality of Child Care and Early

Childhood Development

Title III: Expanding the Availability and Quality of School-

Age Child Care

Title IV: Supporting Family Choices in Child Care

Title V: Encouraging Private Sector Involvement

Title VI: Ensuring the Quality of Federal Child Care Centers

Child Care ACCESS (Affordable Child Care for Early Success and Security) Act - Title I: Improving the Affordability of Child Care - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to make increased appropriations for State child care assistance grants for FY 1999 through 2003.

Title II: Enhancing the Quality of Child Care and Early Childhood Development - Creates under TANF a State grant program for improving the quality of child care and early childhood development. Makes appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003.

Title III: Expanding the Availability and Quality of School-Age Child Care - Establishes under TANF a State grant program for increasing the availability and quality of school-age child care. Makes appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003.

(Sec. 301) Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to increase from 13 to 16 the maximum age of an eligible child under the child care and development block grant program.

(Sec. 302) Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act to: (1) direct the Secretary of Education to give priority to rural, urban, and low-income communities in awarding grants to public elementary and secondary schools for projects that benefit the educational, health, social services, cultural, and recreational needs of the community; (2) revise grant application requirements; (3) change from four to one the minimum number of specified activities for which community learning center grant funds may be used; (4) change children's day care services to child care services; and (5) authorize increased appropriations for 21st century community learning centers.

Title IV: Supporting Family Choices in Child Care - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) revise the formula to increase the dependent care income tax credit for certain taxpayers, indexed for inflation, with an even greater credit for employment-related dependent care expenses; (2) allow a minimum dependent care income tax credit for stay-at-home parents; and (3) provide for advance payment by the employer of an employee's dependent care income tax credit.

(Sec. 404) Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to cover employers of at least 25 (currently 50) employees.

Title V: Encouraging Private Sector Involvement - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide an income tax credit for 25 percent of an employer qualified child care expenditures.

(Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to award grants to local communities for the purpose of expanding the availability and improving the quality of child care on a community-wide basis. Authorizes appropriations.

Title VI: Ensuring the Quality of Federal Child Care Centers - Requires the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) for the executive branch, the Architect of the Capitol for the legislative branch, and the Administrator of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for the judicial branch to issue regulations to establish standards and ensure quality child care for Federal employees through accredited child care centers.

(Sec. 601) Directs the GSA Administrator to establish an interagency council to facilitate cooperation and sharing of best practices among the three branches, and to develop and coordinate policy, regarding the provision of child care in the Federal Government. Authorizes appropriations.