Affordable and Quality Child Care Act of 1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Funding for Child Care

Title II: Dependent Care Tax Credit Reform

Title III: Grants to Business Consortia

Subtitle A: Grant Program

Subtitle B: General Provisions

Title IV: After School Program

Subtitle A: 21st Century Community Learning Centers

Subtitle B: After School Snacks

Subtitle C: After-School Prevention Programs

Title V: Model States Early Learning Program

Title VI: Standards Enforcement Program

Title VII: Child Care Provider Scholarship Program

Title VIII: Research and Demonstration Program

Title IX: Miscellaneous

Subtitle A: Child and Adult Food Program

Subtitle B: Mortgage Insurance for Child Care and

Development Facilities

Subtitle C: Sense of the Congress

Affordable and Quality Child Care Act of 1998 - Title I: Funding for Child Care - Amends the Social Security Act (SSA) to make appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003 for child care subsidy funding under the title IV part A program of Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

(Sec. 101) Reserves specified portions of such funds for payments to Indian tribes and for quality assurance and quality improvement activities relating to programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA). Provides for allotment of funds among the States and territories according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on certain portions of their expenditures for specified purposes authorized under CCDBGA.

Requires targeting of such subsidy for child care assistance funds as follows: (1) at least 70 percent to working non-welfare families, who are not TANF recipients under a State or territory program; and (2) at least 40 percent for children who have not attained four years of age.

Title II: Dependent Care Tax Credit Reform - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the dependent care tax credit and to provide an equivalent benefit where one parent stays at home to provide child care for child under age four.

(Sec. 202) Allows a business-related tax credit for employer expenses for employer-provided child care assistance.

(Sec. 203) Allows the dependent care credit against the alternative minimum tax.

Title III: Grants to Business Consortia - Subtitle A: Grant Program - Directs the Secretary to make grants to States to provide grants to eligible entities to improve access to affordable, local, quality child care services.

(Sec. 301) Makes eligible for such a grant a consortium that: (1) has not received a grant under this title; and (2) consists of representatives from at least five businesses (or a nonprofit organization that represents at least five businesses), each of which, to the maximum extent practicable, is located in the same geographic region. Requires States to give priority, in providing such grants, to eligible entities that consist of a majority of representatives from small businesses. Sets a maximum limit on the amount of any such grant provided to an eligible entity for any fiscal year.

(Sec. 302) Sets forth requirements for grant applications, use of funds, and matching funds.

Subtitle B: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for such child care services grants to business consortia.

Title IV: After School Program - Subtitle A: 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act to require that discretionary grants be awarded to local educational agencies (LEAs) for supporting certain programs of public elementary schools or secondary schools, including middle schools, that serve communities with substantial needs for expanded learning opportunities for children and youth.

(Sec. 401) Increases the maximum duration of such a grant from three to five years.

(Sec. 402) Requires the LEA to demonstrate that it will provide specified portions of the annual costs of project activities from sources other than such grant funds.

(Sec. 403) Requires the use of grant funds to establish or expand community learning centers that provide activities that offer expanded learning opportunities for children and youth in the community (such as activities conducted before or after school), and which may include any of the currently authorized activities.

(Sec. 405) Extends through FY 2003 the authorization of appropriations for such Act.

Authorizes continuation awards of FY 1998 grants.

Subtitle B: After School Snacks - Amends the National School Lunch Act to provide for participation by certain additional institutions under the child and adult care food program. Allows such institutions to claim reimbursements for meal supplements which they serve without charge to children in afterschool care.

(Sec. 411) Revises eligibility requirements for meal supplements for children in afterschool care.

Subtitle C: After-School Prevention Programs - Declares that certain provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as set forth in specified legislation passed by the House of Representatives on May 8, 1997, and in effect for purposes of title I of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-119) (under the heading Violent Crime Reduction Programs, State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance) shall apply as though amended by this subtitle. Requires that 50 percent of specified amounts paid to a State, local government, or eligible unit be used to improve crime prevention programs in the juvenile justice system.

(Sec. 421) Requires such programs to: (1) operate after-school, with high priority given to programs designed and operated by law enforcement personnel, such as police athletic leagues; (2) target high crime neighborhoods or at-risk juveniles; (3) operate educational or recreational activities designed to encourage law-abiding conduct, reduce the incidence of criminal activity, and teach juveniles alternatives to crime; and (4) coordinate with State or local juvenile crime control and juvenile offender accountability programs.

Title V: Model States Early Learning Program - Amends SSA title IV part A (TANF) to make appropriations for FY 1999 through 2003 for model States early learning programs. Provides for allotment of funds among the States, territories, and Indian tribes according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on portions of their expenditures for an early learning program under CCDBGA.

(Sec. 501) Amends CCDBGA to establish the Model States Early Learning Program. Sets forth program requirements for State participation and plans, allowable activities, and annual reports.

Title VI: Standards Enforcement Program - Amends CCDBGA to establish a program of annual payments to States for child care standards enforcement.

(Sec. 601) Requires States, to be eligible for such payments for a fiscal year, to: (1) include a child care standards enforcement plan in their State plans; and (2) report specified data on enforcement of child care quality and safety plans.

Authorizes appropriations.

Subjects such program to specified requirements for basic grant payments and annual reports.

Title VII: Child Care Provider Scholarship Program - Amends CCDBGA to establish a national child care provider scholarship program.

(Sec. 701) Sets forth eligibility criteria for scholarship applicants, including: (1) demonstrated commitment to a child care career; (2) cost sharing by the applicant and employer; and (3) the employer's agreement to provide increased financial incentives to the employee upon completion of the education or training.

Includes such program under requirements for State plans, allotments, payments, and annual reports.

Authorizes appropriations.

Title VIII: Research and Demonstration Program - Amends CCDBGA to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, directly or through grants, contracts, or other arrangements, to carry out research, demonstration projects, and other activities relating to child care, including activities designed to improve the quality and increase the availability of child care.

(Sec. 801) Includes among allowable activities under such research and demonstrations program: (1) research on child care needs of low-income families, on good policies and practices, and on retention of child care provider staff; (2) demonstrations of technology-based education and training; (3) demonstration projects for new methods; (4) a National Center on Child Care Statistics; and (5) a hotline to locate local child care resources, and child care consumer education activities. Authorizes appropriations.

Title IX: Miscellaneous - Subtitle A: Child and Adult Food Program - Amends the National School Lunch Act to increase reimbursement rates for family or group day care homes under the child and adult care food program.

Subtitle B: Mortgage Insurance for Child Care and Development Facilities - Children's Development Commission Act - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to insure mortgages for: (1) new or rehabilitated child care and development facilities, including mortgage insurance for fire safety equipment loans; and (2) purchase or refinance of existing child care and development facilities.

(Sec. 955) Establishes the Children's Development Commission which shall: (1) issue facility standards and compliance certifications; and (2) make loans not in excess of $50,000 for facility rehabilitation or renovation. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 956) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study the availability of child care facility secondary mortgage markets.

Subtitle C: Sense of the Congress - Expresses the sense of the Congress that funds should be appropriated under the amendments made by this Act to the maximum extent authorized and consistently with achieving a balanced Federal budget.