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Bill

S 113

Relates to the standards of monthly need for persons in receipt of public assistance

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jamaal Bailey and 7 co-sponsors

The bill requires licensed private child care providers with websites to clearly display their standard rate per child, per level, to improve price transparency for families.

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 113

Summary — S.113: An Act relative to child care cost transparency

Status: Reported and committed to Finance
Introduced: January 16, 2025
Filed as: Senate No. 113 (presented by Senator Julian Cyr)
Effective date: Section 1 takes effect one year after enactment

Purpose / Intent

The bill requires private early education and care providers licensed under Massachusetts Chapter 15D to make their standard child care attendance rates publicly accessible, with the goal of increasing transparency for families shopping for child care and improving price comparability across programs.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 6 of chapter 15D by adding a new paragraph (f).
  • Requires all private early education and care programs licensed by the Department (including school‑aged child care programs, child care centers, family child care homes, and large family child care homes) that have a publicly available website to “clearly display” their standard rate of attendance:
    • Displayed as a per‑child, per‑level rate (the bill uses the phrase “per child, per level”).
  • Programs without a publicly available website must disclose their standard rate of attendance upon reasonable inquiry.
  • Programs may note that the listed price is subject to change or is subject to other terms and services, but the listed price must be a “reasonably accurate estimate.”
  • Effective one year after the bill becomes law (gives programs time to comply).

Who is affected

  • Directly affected: private licensed early education and care providers in Massachusetts (school‑age programs, child care centers, family child care homes, large family child care homes).
  • Indirectly affected: families and guardians seeking child care, referral agencies, and entities that maintain child care listings or subsidy eligibility tools.

Implementation, enforcement, and timing

  • The requirement is added to licensing statute (Chapter 15D §6), which suggests oversight by the Department that licenses these programs (e.g., the Department of Early Education and Care).
  • The bill does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms or define terms such as “standard rate of attendance,” “per level,” or “reasonably accurate estimate.” Administrative guidance or regulatory clarification may be needed for implementation.
  • Compliance is required beginning one year after enactment.

Procedural status (selected actions)

  • Introduced in the Senate on 2025-01-16.
  • Reported and committed to the Finance Committee on 2025-01-22.
  • Hearing scheduled for 2025-09-02 (per docket information).
  • (Additional docket entries were provided; readers should consult the legislative website for the official, up‑to‑date status.)

Considerations / potential impacts

  • Likely to improve price transparency and help families compare options more easily.
  • Low administrative burden for providers with existing websites; could create minor compliance costs for small or family home providers without websites (who must respond to inquiries).
  • Ambiguities in terminology and lack of enforcement language may require follow‑up guidance or rulemaking by the licensing Department.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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