House Bill 907

AN ACT TO CREATE THE CHILDCARE TEACHERS WAGE INCENTIVE PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROGRAM SHALL BE USED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE A WAGE INCENTIVE TO ELIGIBLE TEACHERS IN AN EFFORT TO STABILIZE THE MISSISSIPPI CHILDCARE WORKER SHORTAGE BY INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE SEATS WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING EDUCATORS FOR THEIR ONGOING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI'S EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE SYSTEM; TO DEFINE WHAT AN ELIGIBLE TEACHER MEANS; TO PROVIDE FOR A PERIODIC VERIFICATION OF TEACHERS IN THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO SUBMIT A DETAILED ANNUAL REPORT ON THE PROGRAM TO THE GOVERNOR, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) There is established the Childcare Teachers Wage Incentive Program ("the program"). The program shall be used by the Office of Workforce Development, with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security acting as the fiscal agent, for the purpose of providing a wage incentive to eligible teachers in an effort to stabilize the Mississippi childcare worker shortage by increasing the supply of affordable childcare seats while also recognizing educators for their ongoing efforts to improve Mississippi's early education and care system. The program shall be funded from monies appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose.

(2) For the purposes of this act, an "eligible teacher" means a teacher who:

(a) Works for a center or home-based program that is in good standing with the Mississippi Department of Health's Childcare Licensure and participates in the Mississippi Department of Human Services Quality Support System,

(b) Works in a setting directly with young children between the ages of 0 and 3 for at least thirty (30) hours a week,

(d) Has been employed at the center for at least six (6) months and will remain employed at that center where he or she applied for the incentive for at least the next three (3) months. Teachers who make more than Twenty Dollars ($20.00) an hour, teachers employed at head start facilities and teachers employed by public school districts shall not be eligible for the incentive.

(3) (a) The Office of Workforce Development shall prescribe the terms and conditions of incentives awarded under the program. Incentives shall be awarded to the first two thousand (2,000) eligible teachers who apply for the funds. Eligible teachers who receive the incentives shall not be required to use the money for work related expenses. The incentives shall be distributed in multiple payments throughout the year.

(b) To maintain eligibility and continue receiving payments, teachers shall be periodically verified using the Mississippi Department of Human Service's LIFT-ED system to ensure that the teaches who received the incentives are working at least thirty (30) hours a week, working directly with children aged 0 to 3, and still working at the center where they initially registered for participation in the program. Teachers shall be required to confirm this information before each periodic payment is distributed.

(4) The Office of Workforce Development may use a maximum of five percent (5%) of funds appropriated for the program for the administration of the program.

(5) The Office of Workforce Development shall submit an annual report on the program to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee and the Chair of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee. The report shall contain a detailed explanation of the following information:

(a) The number of childcare teachers who will be served by the program and the average wage rate for local childcare teachers;

(b) Annual data on retention of childcare teachers who participate in the program compared to those who do not;

(d) Documentation that at a minimum, will ensure Periodic Employment Verification and Payment Schedule.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.