Bill · S. 4959· Senate(119-S-4959)
STOP Child Care Fraud Act
- Introduced
- 7/14/2026
- Last activity
- 7/14/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Bill Cassidy
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The STOP Child Care Fraud Act aims to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to increase oversight and prevent fraud. It requires states to pay child care providers based on verified attendance and allows for payments through reimbursement. The bill establishes new verification requirements for child eligibility, including the use of electronic authentication tools to confirm attendance. States will be required to integrate data systems and use data analytics to identify potential fraud. Additionally, the act mandates stricter monitoring of states, including heightened oversight for high-risk states and penalties for non-compliance.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this make it easier to run a small business?+5
The bill ensures timely payments to child care providers within 21 days of receiving a complete invoice.
Would business owners be better off under this?+5
The bill establishes predictable timelines for the payment of invoices by state agencies.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+3
The bill allocates funds specifically for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services.
The opposite
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?-3
The bill eliminates presumptive eligibility, requiring full documentation and verification of income and assets before assistance is received.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Support for Provider Fixed Costs: The bill allows states to support the fixed costs of child care services by providing full payment if a child is absent for 6 or fewer days in a month (Section 2(a)(1)(C)).
-
Timely Payments to Providers: The bill establishes requirements to ensure the timeliness of billing and payment, requiring payments to be made within 21 calendar days after the receipt of a complete invoice (Section 2(a)(1)(D)).
-
Increased Quality of Services: A portion of funds is set aside specifically for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services and meet requirements for inspection, monitoring, and licensing (Section 3).
-
Transparency for the Public: States are required to post their plans, plan amendments, and any issued corrective action plans on a publicly available website (Section 2(a)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Increased Burden of Documentation: The bill requires that a child's eligibility be verified through full documentation and determination, prohibiting presumptive eligibility in most cases (Section 2(a)(1)(D)(X)(ii)).
-
New Requirements for Parents: Parents experiencing a change in family income or their status as working or attending training/education must report these changes to the State within 90 days (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).
-
Mandatory Use of Authentication Tools: The bill requires center-based providers to use electronic authentication tools, such as finger imaging or interactive voice response devices, to verify attendance (Section 2(a)(1)(Y)).
-
Asset Thresholds for Eligibility: Eligibility is tied to family assets not exceeding $500,000 (Section 6).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+5
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+5Good For Low Income Households-3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Childcare Affordability+2
- 7/14/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama