HB 1873
In CommitteeHouse
WC child care/grad. students
Increasing access to the working connections child care program for graduate and professional students.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill expands access to the Working Connections Child Care program to include full-time graduate and professional students meeting income and other criteria, and gradually broadens income eligibility to include families earning up to 85% of the state median income. It also adjusts copayment rules and streamlines verification for food assistance recipients.
- Graduate and professional students enrolled full-time at a Washington college or university are now eligible for Working Connections Child Care if their household income is at or below 85% of the state median income (adjusted for family size) and their child meets age/need criteria.
- Income eligibility for Working Connections Child Care expands in stages: to households earning up to 75% of the state median income starting July 1, 2025, and up to 85% starting July 1, 2027 (if funded).
- Copayments for families earning up to 20% of the state median income are waived (or capped at $15 if federal rules allow); for families earning between 75% and 85% of the state median income, copayments are capped at 7% of household income.
- Graduate students qualify for full-time care, and their full-time enrollment counts as an approved activity for eligibility.
- In two-parent households, the availability of the second parent (e.g., whether they work or attend school) cannot be used to deny care.
- Families receiving food assistance (SNAP or state food program) will have income eligibility automatically verified, simplifying access to child care benefits.
Who is affected
- Graduate and professional students — Graduate and professional students enrolled full-time at a Washington state college or university who meet income and other eligibility requirements will now qualify for subsidized child care through the Working Connections Child Care program.
- Low- to moderate-income working families — Families with children under age 13 (or under 19 with special needs or under court supervision) whose household income is between 60% and 75% of the state median income will become newly eligible starting July 1, 2025.
- Higher-income working families (income up to 85% of state median) — Families with children under age 13 (or under 19 with special needs or under court supervision) whose household income is between 75% and 85% of the state median income may become eligible starting July 1, 2027—if funding is appropriated.
- Recipients of food assistance programs — Households receiving food assistance (SNAP or state food assistance) will have income eligibility automatically verified, simplifying access to child care benefits.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Graduate and professional students—many of whom earn modest stipends and face high child care costs—gain access to subsidized care, enabling them to pursue advanced degrees and enter higher-paying professions, which improves long-term economic mobility for themselves and their children.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)-(5)Families earning between 60% and 75% of SMI (roughly $45,000–$56,000 for a family of 3) gain eligibility starting in 2025, significantly expanding access to affordable child care for working families who currently fall through the cracks of existing income thresholds.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)Automatic income verification for SNAP recipients reduces administrative barriers and application errors, improving access to child care for low-income families who may otherwise miss benefits due to paperwork delays or confusion—especially beneficial for non-English speakers and digitally excluded households.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(5)Prohibiting use of the second parent’s employment/school status in two-parent households removes a source of arbitrary denial and supports gender equity—particularly benefiting stay-at-home fathers, caregivers of children with disabilities, and families where one parent is in school or incarcerated.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)Copayment waivers or caps ($15 max for households ≤20% SMI) and lower-tier caps ($65–$215) reduce out-of-pocket child care costs for low- and moderate-income families, easing financial strain and improving affordability of early education.
FinancialLean peopleRef: Sec. 3(1) & (2)
Potential Concerns (5)
The expansion to 85% of state median income (SMI) is explicitly contingent on future legislative appropriation, meaning many families who meet the income threshold may not receive benefits if funding is not allocated—creating uncertainty and potential gaps in access despite eligibility.
FinancialRef: Sec. 2(4)The bill does not include funding for enforcement or oversight of the expanded program, potentially increasing administrative burden on local agencies and raising risks of fraud or misuse without corresponding resources for verification and monitoring.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 2(4)Copayment caps for families earning 75–85% SMI (7% of income) may still be unaffordable for some households—e.g., a family earning $75,000/year would pay up to $5,250/year in child care copayments, which remains high relative to median household income (~$86,000 in WA) and could limit actual access despite formal eligibility.
FinancialRef: Sec. 3(3)Automatic verification for SNAP recipients streamlines access but increases administrative workload for county human services departments during implementation, potentially straining local resources without explicit additional funding.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(5)The 2027 expansion to 85% SMI is not guaranteed and depends on future legislatures—creating policy instability that may discourage long-term planning by employers, child care providers, and families seeking continuity of care.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 2(3)
Who Is Most Affected
Graduate and professional students—especially those on modest stipends—gain direct access to subsidized child care, reducing a major barrier to degree completion and career advancement. However, those earning above 85% SMI (e.g., MD/PhD students with research assistantships) remain excluded.
Families earning 60–75% SMI gain new eligibility in 2025, reducing child care cost burdens and enabling greater workforce participation. However, those at the upper edge (e.g., $55,000/year) may still struggle with copayments up to $215/month, and the 2027 expansion is not guaranteed.
Families earning 75–85% SMI may gain eligibility in 2027—if funded—but face copayments up to 7% of income, which could still be prohibitive. This group includes many teachers, nurses, and skilled tradespeople who are not wealthy but are not in deep poverty either.
SNAP recipients benefit from streamlined eligibility, reducing administrative burden and improving access to child care. However, the policy does not expand SNAP itself, and some families may still be excluded if they receive SNAP but not food assistance under the state program (e.g., in counties with different administrative practices).
Child care providers benefit from increased demand and potentially more stable enrollment, but may face administrative challenges in verifying graduate student status and implementing new copayment tiers. The lack of explicit provider rate increases may strain margins if demand surges without corresponding reimbursement adjustments.