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Official title: To establish a grant pilot program to provide child care services for the minor children of law enforcement officers to accommodate the shift work and nontraditional work hours of such officers, and to enhance recruitment and retention of such officers.
Introduced May 8, 2025 by Scott Peters · Last progress May 8, 2025
The bill directs targeted federal funding to expand and subsidize child care for law enforcement families — including shift/sick‑child support and provider training — but requires growing local matches, limits some provider options through federal rules, caps large grants, diverts some money to administration, and sunsets in 2030, trading immediate access gains for higher local costs and short-term funding uncertainty.
Parents and families of law enforcement officers gain subsidized child care for nontraditional/shift hours, making it easier for officers to work stable shifts.
Covered law enforcement families face lower out-of-pocket child care costs because the bill provides targeted federal funding (~$24M/year FY2026–2030) to expand services for this workforce.
Children of officers — including those who are sick or have disabilities — get improved access to child care services such as sick‑child care and supports for children with disabilities.
Local governments and law enforcement agencies must provide rising non‑federal matching funds (10%→25%→33%), which could strain local budgets and reduce participation.
Tying eligibility to federal child-care rules (CCDBG and regulations) may exclude informal or unlicensed local providers that families currently rely on for shift and after-hours care, limiting practical options.
The program sunsets in 2030, making benefits temporary and creating uncertainty for sustained child care capacity unless Congress reauthorizes funding.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a 3-year HHS competitive grant program to help law enforcement agencies provide child care for officers with nonstandard shift hours, with capped awards and phased matching.
Creates a 3-year competitive HHS/ACF grant program funding state-designated lead agencies to support creation and operation of child care programs for minor children of law enforcement officers who work nontraditional or shift hours. Grants may be used for start-up costs, provider training and incentives, operating expenses, care for sick children and children with disabilities, extended/nonstandard hours, and other locally approved activities, with awards capped at $3,000,000 per applicant and a phased three-year non-Federal matching requirement.