Bill

HR 7952

JOINT RESOLUTION AMENDING THE JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON CHILD CARE IN RHODE ISLAND

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Julie Casimiro and 5 co-sponsors

The bill redefines and expands Rhode Island’s Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care into a more diverse, structured body to review, develop, and recommend policies for hig

06/19/2026 Signed by Governor

WeVote Research Nonpartisan

Bill Summary · HR 7952

Summary of HR 7952 (Rhode Island, 2026) — Joint Resolution Amending the Joint Resolution Creating a Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care in Rhode Island

Purpose and Intent

This Joint Resolution amends the long-standing framework for Rhode Island’s Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care in order to update its structure, naming, composition, and operations.
The overarching goal remains to review, develop, and recommend policies and legislation to ensure Rhode Island has a high-quality, affordable, accessible, and equitable network of child care and early learning services, with planning for current and future needs (including expansion of pre-kindergarten).

Key Provisions and Changes

Name Change

The Commission shall be known as: The Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care and Early Learning.

Purpose

The Commission’s purpose is to review, develop, and recommend policies and legislation to ensure:
- A high-quality network of child care and early learning services
- Affordability and accessibility for all
- Equity in service provision
- Planning for current and future needs, including pre-kindergarten expansion

Membership (27 Members Total)

The Commission will have 27 members comprising:
- House of Representatives: 4 members (not more than 3 from the same party), appointed by the Speaker
- Senate: 3 members (not more than 2 from the same party), appointed by the Senate President
- Ex officio or designee roles (one each unless otherwise stated):
- Assistant Director, Office of Child Care
- Director, Head Start Collaboration Office
- Child Advocate of Rhode Island
- Commissioner, Rhode Island Department of Education
- Representatives from various organizations and sectors (appointed by specified leaders):
- Business Owners of Childcare Association (BOCA) – Speaker
- State Alliance of YMCAs – Senate President
- Rhode Island Childcare Directors Association (RICCDA) – Speaker
- RI Head Start Association – Senate President
- SEIU 1199 Family Care Providers Union – Senate President
- RI Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs – Speaker
- Executive Director, Rhode Island Parent Information Network, Inc. (or designee)
- Executive Director, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT (or designee)
- Executive Director, The Economic Progress Institute (or designee)
- Executive Director, RI Association for the Education of Young Children (or designee)
- Director, Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families (or designee)
- Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC Rhode Island) (or designee)
- President & CEO, United Way of Rhode Island (or designee)
- Executive Director, Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council (or designee)
- Executive Director, Parents Leading for Educational Equity (PLEE) (or designee)
- One additional member: An early childhood program leader with expertise focusing on urban core or underserved communities, representative of historically marginalized populations (appointed jointly by the Speaker and Senate President from a list provided by the Commission Chairs)

Diversity and Representation

When making appointments, consideration must be given to increasing diversity to better reflect Rhode Island’s demographics.
Membership is reviewed and updated every three years.

Hosting and Activities

The Commission will be hosted by:
- the House of Representatives in even-numbered years, and
- the Senate in odd-numbered years.
Activities include:
- Organizing an annual Child Care and Early Education Awareness Day
- Planning retreats (joint House and Senate) every two to three years to discuss child care and early education initiatives

Budget

The Commission may be allotted up to $5,000 annually, via grant funding, for activities related to Awareness Day and planning retreats.
Funding is subject to approval by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate.

Affected Parties and Impacts

Targeted Stakeholders:
- Child care providers, early childhood educators, and families relying on child care and early learning services
- State agencies (e.g., Department of Education, Department of Children, Youth, and Families)
- Nonprofit organizations and coalitions involved in child care, early learning, and family supports (e.g., BOCA, YMCAs, RI KIDS COUNT, United Way, PLEE, SEIU, etc.)
Practical Impacts:
- A restructured and more diverse Commission devoted to shaping policy and funding directions for child care and early learning
- Enhanced focus on equity and serving underserved communities
- Institutionalized annual awareness events and periodic strategic retreats to guide policy priorities

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Effective immediately upon the amendment (as introduced and acted upon)
Hosting rotates with each legislative session (even years: House hosts; odd years: Senate hosts)
Membership review and updates occur every three years
Budget discretion: up to $5,000 annual, contingent on leadership approvals
Recent activity:
- Committee recommended passage (April 28, 2026)
- Prior committee recommendations and hearings occurred in March and February 2026