AN ACT Relating to establishing a child care collaborative task force; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

(2) The task force shall develop policies and recommendations to incentivize employer-supported child care and improve child care access and affordability for employees. To accomplish its duties, the task force shall evaluate current available data including, but not limited to:

(a) Child care market rate survey reports, including data related to the geographic distribution of licensed child care providers and the demand for, cost, and availability of such providers;

(b) Best practices for employer-supported child care; and

(c) Research related to the economic and workforce impacts of employee access to high quality, affordable child care.

(3) The governor shall appoint the task force chair and shall appoint additional task force members as follows:

(a) Seven representatives of private business, including: One representative of a small business; one representative of a medium-sized business; one representative of a large business; two chamber of commerce representatives, one located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one located west of the crest of the Cascade mountains; and two representatives of economic development organizations, one located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one located west of the crest of the Cascade mountains;

(b) Five representatives from the child care industry. At least one of the child care industry representatives must be a provider from a rural community. The five representatives must include: One licensed child day care center provider; one licensed family day care provider; one representative of family, friend, and neighbor child care providers; one representative from a union representing child care providers; and one representative from the statewide child care resource and referral network;

(c) Four representatives of advocacy organizations representing parents, early learning, foster care youth, and child care interests;

(d) One subject matter expert familiar with the transportation accessibility needs of parents who commute using public transit;

(e) One representative of a nonprofit organization providing training and professional development for family day care providers and family, friend, and neighbor child care providers;

(f) One representative of an organization representing the interests of licensed child day care centers; and

(g) One representative of a private philanthropic organization.

(4) One representative from each of the following agencies shall serve as a member of the task force and provide data and information to the task force upon request:

(a) The department of commerce;

(b) The department of children, youth, and families;

(c) The employment security department;

(d) The department of revenue;

(e) The department of social and health services;

(f) The governor's office of Indian affairs; and

(g) The office of the governor.

(5) The president of the senate shall appoint one member to the task force from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.

(6) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member to the task force from each of the two largest caucuses in the house of representatives.

(7) The director of commerce or his or her designee may invite additional representatives to participate as nonvoting members of the task force.

(8) The task force vice chair must be elected by a majority vote of task force members.

(9) Staff support for the task force must be provided by the department of commerce.

(10) Legislative members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with chapter 43.03 RCW.

(11) In accordance with RCW 43.01.036 the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by November 1, 2019. The report must include findings related to:

(a) Options for the state to incentivize the provision of:

(i) Employer-supported child care by public and private employers; and

(ii) Back-up child care by public and private employers;

(b) Opportunities for streamlining permitting and licensing requirements to facilitate the development and construction of child care facilities;

(c) Potential tax incentives for private businesses providing employer-supported child care;

(d) A model policy for the establishment of a "bring your infant to work" program for public and private sector employees; and

(e) Policy recommendations that address racial, ethnic, and geographic disparity and disproportionality in service delivery and accessibility to services for families.

(12) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Back-up child care" means a temporary child care arrangement that is provided when normal child care arrangements are unavailable.

(b) "Employer-supported child care" includes:

(i) A licensed child care center operated at or near the workplace by an employer for the benefit of employees; or

(ii) Financial assistance provided by an employer for licensed child care expenses incurred by an employee.

(13) This section expires December 30, 2019.

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