Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia SB3: An Act to establish the Employee Child Care Assistance Program.
Status: Chaptered, April 13, 2026
Employee Child Care Assistance Program established. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Program to provide matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed delivery provider on behalf of the employee or to a third-party administrator, as defined by the bill, and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. The bill specifies that, to the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the bill clarifies that the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to proposals involving contributions from small businesses. The bill requires the Foundation to provide an interim report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2028, and a summative report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2030, on the effectiveness and impact of the Program. This bill is identical to HB 18.
What the bill says
An Act to establish the Employee Child Care Assistance Program. [S 3] Approved April 13, 2026 1. § 1. As used in § 2: "Eligible mixed delivery provider" means a child day center or family day home that has been selected or identified to deliver mixed delivery services through a local agreement with the relevant regional entity established pursuant to subsection D of § 22.1-289.05 of the Code of Virginia. "Employer" means an employer with at least one employee who works in the Commonwealth in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. "Small business" means an.
From the enrolled text, April 13, 2026:
An Act to establish the Employee Child Care Assistance Program. [S 3] Approved April 13, 2026 1. § 1. As used in § 2: "Eligible mixed delivery provider" means a child day center or family day home that has been selected or identified to deliver mixed delivery services through a local agreement with the relevant regional entity established pursuant to subsection D of § 22.1-289.05 of the Code of Virginia. "Employer" means an employer with at least one employee who works in the Commonwealth in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. "Small business" means an employer with fewer than 50 employees. "The Foundation" means the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. "Third party administrator" means an entity approved by the Foundation to administer, receive, or distribute funds as part of the Employee Child Care Assistance Program established pursuant to § 2. "Third party administrator" includes a Ready Region lead agency. § 2. With such funds as may be appropriated for such purpose pursuant to the general appropriation act, the Employee Child Care Assistance Program (the Program) is established for the purpose of providing matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Foundation. The Foundation shall establish such guidelines …