A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT authorizing united states department of defense‑certified child care facilities to participate in the state‑subsidized child care program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 7 of Chapter 110 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 110‑106.2.  Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities.
(a)	As used in this section, the phrase "Department of Defense‑certified child care facility" shall include child development centers, family child care homes, and school‑aged child care facilities operated aboard a military installation under the authorization of the United States Department of Defense (Department of Defense) certified by the Department of Defense.
(b)	Procedure Regarding Department of Defense‑Certified Child Care Facilities. –
(1)	Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities shall file with the Department a notice of intent to operate a child care facility in a form determined by the Department of Defense.
(2)	As part of its notice, each Department of Defense‑certified child care facility shall file a report to the Department indicating that it meets the minimum standards for child care facilities as provided by the Department of Defense.
(3)	Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities that meet all the requirements of this section shall be exempt from all other requirements of this Article and shall not be subject to licensure.
(4)	For purposes of the North Carolina Subsidized Child Care Program, Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities shall be reimbursed as follows:
a.	Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities that are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) shall be reimbursed at the five‑star‑rated license rate.
b.	All other Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities shall be reimbursed at the four‑star‑rated license rate."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 143B‑168.15(g) reads as rewritten:
"(g)	Not less than thirty percent (30%) of the funds spent in each year of each local partnership's direct services allocation shall be used to expand child care subsidies. To the extent practicable, these funds shall be used to enhance the affordability, availability, and quality of child care services as described in this section. The North Carolina Partnership may increase this percentage requirement up to a maximum of fifty percent (50%) when, based upon a significant local waiting list for subsidized child care, the North Carolina Partnership determines a higher percentage is justified. Local partnerships shall spend an amount for child care subsidies that provides at least fifty‑two million dollars ($52,000,000) for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) maintenance of effort requirement and the Child Care Development Fund and Block Grant match requirement. Funds allocated under this section shall supplement and not supplant any federal or State funds allocated to Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities licensed under G.S. 110‑106.2."
SECTION 3.  Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities licensed pursuant to G.S. 110‑106.2, as enacted in Section 1 of this act, may participate in the State‑subsidized child care program that provides for the purchase of care in child care facilities for minor children in needy families; provided, that funds allocated from the State‑subsidized child care program to Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities shall supplement and not supplant funds allocated in accordance with G.S. 143B‑168.15(g). Payment rates and fees for military families who choose Department of Defense‑certified child care facilities and who are eligible to receive subsidized child care shall be as determined by the General Assembly in the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the 2015‑2016 fiscal year.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2016.