HR 41 — A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of emergency child care and provide recommendations.

PRINTER'S NO.   365

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 41
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY CERRATO, KHAN, MUNROE, FRIEL, HANBIDGE, McNEILL,
        HILL-EVANS, MAYES, GIRAL, PIELLI, HOWARD, FREEMAN,
        SCHLOSSBERG, PROBST, SANCHEZ, DALEY, DONAHUE, STEELE AND
        WARREN, JANUARY 28, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JANUARY 28, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
 2      study of emergency child care and provide recommendations.
 3      WHEREAS, Crisis child care is important to provide for
 4   families in this Commonwealth who find themselves suddenly
 5   unable to provide the nurturing care a child deserves; and
 6      WHEREAS, The Commonwealth should provide safe emergency
 7   child-care options to help parents who face a crisis; and
 8      WHEREAS, Crisis nurseries can take many different forms,
 9   including nurseries, day-care centers and community centers; and
10      WHEREAS, Crisis nurseries provide immediate, temporary relief
11   for families experiencing challenging life circumstances, such
12   as health emergencies, situations that place a child at risk of
13   abuse and neglect or any other parental stressors; and
14      WHEREAS, Crisis nurseries face the same challenges as other
15   child-care facilities in this Commonwealth and, for the House of
16   Representatives to be well-informed about the stability of
17   crisis nurseries, the challenges faced by child-care facilities
 1   must be understood; and
 2         WHEREAS, Currently, child-care facilities struggle to recruit
 3   and retain staff across Pennsylvania; and
 4         WHEREAS, Staffing issues are caused, in part, by low wages,
 5   which average $12.43 per hour in Pennsylvania; and
 6         WHEREAS, Even with stimulus funding from the COVID-19
 7   pandemic, child-care facilities have not been able to meet the
 8   demand for child care; and
 9         WHEREAS, Nearly 60% of Pennsylvania residents live in a
10   child-care desert, defined as an area where there are three
11   times the number of children than openings at child-care
12   centers; and
13         WHEREAS, There are just 12 crisis nurseries in this
14   Commonwealth, which is insufficient to support our communities;
15   and
16         WHEREAS, Pennsylvania should take all opportunities to
17   utilize funding made available by the Federal Government,
18   especially funds that could provide meaningful assistance to
19   those in crisis; and
20         WHEREAS, The House of Representatives should craft policy
21   informed by a thorough understanding of the resources at its
22   disposal, and members should be informed when pursuing
23   legislative solutions; therefore be it
24         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
25   State Government Commission to conduct a study of emergency
26   child care and provide recommendations; and be it further
27         RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission's study
28   of emergency child care, at a minimum, includes the following:
29             (1)   A review and analysis of the current availability of
30         emergency child care in Pennsylvania, including the types of

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 1      license under which any emergency child-care facilities
 2      operate.
 3          (2)    A review and analysis of the challenges that
 4      emergency child-care facilities face in expanding service.
 5          (3)    A review of any Federal or State funding for
 6      emergency child-care programs, including how licensing
 7      impacts eligibility for government support.
 8          (4)    A review of the available and potential funding
 9      sources for emergency child-care programs under Medicare,
10      Medicaid and other insurers.
11          (5)    A review of the availability of and funding for
12      emergency child care in other states in the nation, including
13      how those states license facilities.
14          (6)    Policy and legislative recommendations that would
15      allow the Commonwealth to access any available Federal
16      funding for emergency child care that it does not currently
17      utilize and that would suggest other ways for Pennsylvania to
18      support networks of crisis nurseries and emergency child
19      care.
20          (7)    Any other matters deemed appropriate by the Joint
21      State Government Commission;
22   and be it further
23      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, as part
24   of its study, establish an advisory committee consisting of the
25   following members:
26          (1)    The Secretary of Health or a designee.
27          (2)    The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
28          (3)    A representative from a county children and youth
29      agency.
30          (4)    A representative of an organization representing

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 1      county commissioners.
 2          (5)     Two individuals who work in an emergency child-care
 3      facility.
 4          (6)     Two parents who have utilized emergency child-care
 5      services.
 6          (7)     A representative of an organization of private
 7      child-care providers.
 8          (8)     A representative of a Statewide nonprofit membership
 9      organization or center of group or family child-care
10      programs;
11   and be it further
12      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission present
13   its report to the House of Representatives no later than 18
14   months after the adoption of this resolution.




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