Panel advances bill to require after‑school care for Pre‑K students

Speaker Pro Tem Jones told a Senate committee that House Bill 1123 would require school systems that offer Pre‑K and after‑school programs for kindergarten through fifth grade to also offer after‑school care to Pre‑K students on the same basis. "If you offer Pre‑K and you make after‑school care available to your K through 5, you make it available to your Pre‑K students on the same basis," Jones said during the meeting.

The bill, identified in the hearing by legislative counsel number LC 492,546, was introduced as a narrowly tailored measure aimed at helping working families, Jones said. She told the committee that about half of lottery‑funded Pre‑K classes are located in public school systems and half are in private day‑care facilities, and that 22 school systems currently do not offer after‑school services to their Pre‑K students.

Jones said most systems either run after‑school programs themselves or contract them out and that the 22 systems that do not offer after‑school to Pre‑K use the same contractors as others. The measure would require affected systems to make after‑school care available to Pre‑K students while allowing the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) to grant year‑to‑year waivers for extenuating circumstances during implementation.

Senator Mallon asked whether districts might hesitate because Pre‑K teachers are not on K‑12 QBE salary schedules. Jones replied that after‑school coverage is often provided by other part‑time employees or contractors, and that DECAL had collected similar explanations from districts when reviewing the issue.

The committee chair moved that the bill "do pass," a motion that was seconded and carried by a voice/hand vote; the transcript records members raising hands in favor but does not include a roll‑call tally. Following the action, the committee adjourned.

The transcript records the committee's discussion and the committee vote; it does not record a detailed vote tally, committee amendments, or planned next steps such as a floor date. The bill text and any fiscal notes or committee reports would be needed to confirm implementation details or estimated costs.