A bill to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to require States to make payments to child care providers based on verified attendance in child care programs, and for other purposes.

S. 3862 would amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to change how states distribute federal child care funding to providers. Currently, states may pay providers based on enrollment, but this bill would require payments to be based on verified attendance instead. This change would mean providers only receive funding for children who actually attend their programs on a given day, rather than for slots that may go unused.

If enacted, this policy could affect how child care providers operate and budget their services. Providers might face more variable income if attendance fluctuates, while families might benefit from a system that ties public funding more directly to actual service usage. The bill is currently in the Senate and has been referred to committee for consideration, but has not yet been voted on by the full chamber.