DE SB 278
enactedAN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.
Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · upper
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Quick answers
Did DE SB 278 pass?
Yes. DE SB 278 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-08-17): Signed by Governor
What is DE SB 278 about?
Like Senate Bill No. 278, Senate Substitute No. 1 for SB 278 requires that the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) regulations for Purchase of Care (POC), this State's child care assistance program, provide authorization for a child care provider that a child will attend during the summer at any time after January 1 because current regulations do not provide authorization for summer care early enough for families to enroll children in summer camps before camps are full. SS 1 for SB 278 differs from SB 278 as follows: • Does not codify the POC eligibility for children in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families. • Revises the requirement that a summer child care provider must be authorized after January 1 so it clearly applies to all children receiving POC assistance. • Clarifies that an authorization for a summer child care provider must be provided in addition to all provider authorizations for the child’s care during the school year. Like SB 278, SS 1 for SB 278 does all of the following: • Adds the name of this State's child care assistance program, "Purchase of Care" or "POC" to Chapter 5 of Title 31. • Codifies the current policy that parent copayments are determined based on household size and income. • Requires that parent copayments also be based on whether the child receives assistance for a full or half day of child care. • Provides that the authorization for a summer child care provider provided in advance of attendance may be for purposes of enrollment only and is subject to meeting eligibility requirements at the time the child attends. • Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act is effective immediately because under § 10113 of Title 29, amendments that make existing regulations consistent with changes in basic law are exempt from the procedural requirements under the Administrative Procedures Act.
Who sponsors DE SB 278?
Cyndie Romer, Edward S. Osienski, Eric Morrison and 22 others are the primary sponsors of DE SB 278.
Description
Like Senate Bill No. 278, Senate Substitute No. 1 for SB 278 requires that the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) regulations for Purchase of Care (POC), this State's child care assistance program, provide authorization for a child care provider that a child will attend during the summer at any time after January 1 because current regulations do not provide authorization for summer care early enough for families to enroll children in summer camps before camps are full. SS 1 for SB 278 differs from SB 278 as follows: • Does not codify the POC eligibility for children in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families. • Revises the requirement that a summer child care provider must be authorized after January 1 so it clearly applies to all children receiving POC assistance. • Clarifies that an authorization for a summer child care provider must be provided in addition to all provider authorizations for the child’s care during the school year. Like SB 278, SS 1 for SB 278 does all of the following: • Adds the name of this State's child care assistance program, "Purchase of Care" or "POC" to Chapter 5 of Title 31. • Codifies the current policy that parent copayments are determined based on household size and income. • Requires that parent copayments also be based on whether the child receives assistance for a full or half day of child care. • Provides that the authorization for a summer child care provider provided in advance of attendance may be for purposes of enrollment only and is subject to meeting eligibility requirements at the time the child attends. • Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act is effective immediately because under § 10113 of Title 29, amendments that make existing regulations consistent with changes in basic law are exempt from the procedural requirements under the Administrative Procedures Act.
- Introduced
- 2026-05-06
- Latest action
- 2026-08-17 — Signed by Governor
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Cyndie Romerprimary
- Edward S. Osienskiprimary
- Eric Morrisonprimary
- David L. Wilsonprimary
- John "Jack" Walshprimary
- Bryan Townsendprimary
- Laura V. Sturgeonprimary
- David P. Sokolaprimary
- Ray Seigfriedprimary
- Bryant L. Richardsonprimary
- Nicole Pooreprimary
- Marie Pinkneyprimary
- Brian Pettyjohnprimary
- Spiros Mantzavinosprimary
- Josue O Ortegaprimary
- Dave G. Lawsonprimary
- Russell Huxtableprimary
- Claire Snyder-Hallprimary
- Stell Parker Selbyprimary
- Melanie Ross Levinprimary
- Sarah McBrideprimary
- Franklin D. Cookeprimary
- Darius J. Brownprimary
- Kerri Evelyn Harrisprimary
- Trey Paradeeprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-08-17
Signed by Governor
executive-signature
2026-07-01
Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT
passage
2026-07-01
Suspension of Rules in Senate
2026-06-30
Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT
passage
2026-06-30
Amendment HA 1 to SS 1 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
amendment-passage
2026-06-23
Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 4 On Its Merits
committee-passage
2026-06-18
Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House
introduction,referral-committee
2026-06-18
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 9 On Its Merits
committee-passage
2026-06-16
Amendment HA 1 to SS 1 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
amendment-introduction
2026-06-04
Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House
introduction,referral-committee
2026-05-21
Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
passage
2026-05-20
Reported Out of Committee (Finance) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-05-18
Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate
introduction,referral-committee
2026-05-06
was introduced and adopted in lieu of SB 278
introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
SM
2026-05-21 · pass · 20-0
Member-level votes (21)
- Darius J. Brown: yes
- Eric Buckson: yes
- Daniel Cruce: yes
- Stephanie L. Hansen: yes
- Gerald W. Hocker: other
- Kyra L. Hoffner: yes
- Russell Huxtable: yes
- Dave G. Lawson: yes
- S. Elizabeth Lockman: yes
- Spiros Mantzavinos: yes
- Trey Paradee: yes
- Brian Pettyjohn: yes
- Marie Pinkney: yes
- Nicole Poore: yes
- Bryant L. Richardson: yes
- Ray Seigfried: yes
- David P. Sokola: yes
- Laura V. Sturgeon: yes
- Bryan Townsend: yes
- John "Jack" Walsh: yes
- David L. Wilson: yes
SM
2026-06-30 · pass · 40-0
Member-level votes (41)
- Alonna Berry: yes
- Stephanie T. Bolden: yes
- Frank Burns: yes
- William Bush: yes
- William J. Carson: yes
- Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha: yes
- Richard G. Collins: yes
- Franklin D. Cooke: yes
- Daniel B. Short: yes
- Timothy D. Dukes: yes
- Mara Gorman: yes
- Ronald E. Gray: yes
- Krista Griffith: yes
- Kerri Evelyn Harris: yes
- Debra Heffernan: yes
- Kevin S Hensley: yes
- Jeff Hilovsky: yes
- Valerie Jones Giltner: yes
- Kendra Johnson: yes
- Kimberly Williams: yes
- Kamela T Smith: yes
- Larry Lambert: yes
- Sean M. Lynn: yes
- Michael F. Smith: yes
- Melissa Minor-Brown: yes
- Shannon Morris: yes
- Eric Morrison: yes
- DeShanna U Neal: yes
- Josue O Ortega: yes
- Edward S. Osienski: yes
- Sophie Phillips: yes
- Charles S Postles Jr.: yes
- Cyndie Romer: yes
- Melanie Ross Levin: yes
- Sherae'a Moore: other
- Bryan W. Shupe: yes
- Claire Snyder-Hall: yes
- Jeffrey N. Spiegelman: yes
- Jesse R. Vanderwende: yes
- Madinah Wilson-Anton: yes
- Lyndon D. Yearick: yes
SM
2026-07-01 · pass · 19-0
Member-level votes (21)
- Darius J. Brown: yes
- Eric Buckson: yes
- Daniel Cruce: yes
- Stephanie L. Hansen: yes
- Gerald W. Hocker: yes
- Kyra L. Hoffner: yes
- Russell Huxtable: yes
- Dave G. Lawson: other
- S. Elizabeth Lockman: yes
- Spiros Mantzavinos: yes
- Trey Paradee: yes
- Brian Pettyjohn: yes
- Marie Pinkney: yes
- Nicole Poore: yes
- Bryant L. Richardson: other
- Ray Seigfried: yes
- David P. Sokola: yes
- Laura V. Sturgeon: yes
- Bryan Townsend: yes
- John "Jack" Walsh: yes
- David L. Wilson: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-08-21T20:46:59.884732Z
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