WashingtonChild care providers would follow new subsidy payment rules
Child care providers would use attendance-based subsidy claims, while statewide rules would set payment rates and regional rate limits.
What it does
Child care subsidy base rates would reach the 85th market percentile in 2026 and the 75th percentile in 2027, subject to bargaining and later survey standards.
Providers accepting subsidies could claim payments tied to authorized days even when children attend fewer days, using separate rules for full-, half-, and partial-day care.
Beginning July 1, 2026, subsidized providers would receive the base rate assigned to the region where they are located.
Argument forAttendance-based claims could give providers steadier subsidy payments when children miss some authorized care days.
Argument againstA single regional base rate could limit payments for providers whose local costs differ from the broader region.
More detail
The state must set child care subsidy base rates at specified market percentiles. The rates apply to licensed or certified child care providers. Rates beginning July 1, 2026, must reach the 85th percentile of the most recent market survey published before May 20, 2025. Rates beginning July 1, 2027, must reach the 75th percentile of the market. The state and the exclusive representative for family child care providers must bargain over implementing the rate increase. Beginning with the survey published by June 1, 2028, a region’s results generally must meet minimum response-rate requirements to guide rate increases. The 85th-percentile rate applies beginning July 1, 2026. The 75th-percentile rate applies beginning July 1, 2027. The survey response rules begin with the survey published by June 1, 2028.
The department must adopt rules allowing providers to claim payments based on how many days a child attends in a month. The rules cover licensed or certified child care providers that accept state subsidy payments. For children attending 16 or more days, providers may claim all authorized days. For children attending nine to 15 days, providers may claim all authorized days or 15 days, whichever is fewer. For children attending one to eight days, providers may claim all authorized days or 11 days, whichever is fewer. Half-day and partial-day care must be paid using rates set in department rules. The department must adopt the initial rules by October 1, 2026. That temporary section expires July 1, 2027; a corresponding section takes effect on July 1, 2027.
The department may not pay a provider a base rate different from the rate for the provider’s subsidy region. The rule applies to licensed or certified child care providers receiving state subsidies. This rule begins July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 1Effective date 4/1/2026*.Latest
- Apr 1Chapter 264, 2026 Laws.Major
- Apr 1Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 12President signed.Major
- Mar 12Speaker signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 11Passed final passage; yeas, 51; nays, 45; absent, 0; excused, 2.Passed House
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#9). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#36). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11House concurred in Senate amendments.
- Mar 11Third reading, passed; yeas, 33; nays, 16; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Mar 11Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 11Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
- Mar 11Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Mar 11Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Mar 10Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Mar 10Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Mar 10WM - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Mar 10Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:00 PM.
- Mar 9Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:00 AM.
- Mar 6First reading, referred to Ways & Means.Minor
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 53; nays, 44; absent, 0; excused, 1.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#3). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 41st substitute bill substituted (APP 26).Major
- Mar 3Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Mar 2Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Mar 2Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Mar 2APP - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Mar 2Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 26Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 28First reading, referred to Appropriations.Introduced
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