HB 259

Early childhood care and education; Home-Based Child Care Provider Start-Up Grants Pilot Program established; requirements. Establishes the Home-Based Child Care Provider Start-Up Grants Pilot Program, whereby funds are provided to Child Care Aware of Virginia to work in conjunction with the public and private partners enumerated in the bill in order to expand the supply of licensed home-based child care providers in the Commonwealth, promote the safety of licensed home-based child care providers, and support access to child care for working parents in the Commonwealth, through providing for the award of grants to licensed and unlicensed home-based child care providers in the Commonwealth in accordance with the requirements of the bill. The bill requires Child Care Aware of Virginia to annually collect and make publicly available data on the number of home-based child care providers supported under the Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029.