Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 104-H - Power and Duties of Department(a) General rule.--The department shall have the power and duty to: (1) Implement and administer the program in accordance with Federal law or guidance. The department shall compile and transmit information necessary to implement the program and comply with programmatic and eligibility requirements under Federal law or guidance.(2) Allocate and disburse program funds to qualified child-care providers.(3) Require qualified child-care providers to submit reports containing information required for compliance with Federal law or guidance, in the form and by the deadline prescribed by the department. The department may not subject qualified child-care providers to additional reporting that is not required by Federal law or guidance, State law or this article.(4) Monitor, inspect or audit the financial, operating and accounting records of a qualified child-care provider that receives program funding, if deemed necessary by the department.(5) Withhold, recover or reduce program funding of a qualified child-care provider determined to have administered the program in violation of Federal or State requirements.(6) By December 11, 2021, issue a report to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives on the percentage of money that has been obligated for the program. If the percentage is below 50%, an analysis must be provided on how the department can achieve the spending deadlines in Federal law or guidance.(7) By April 1, 2022, issue a report to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives on the amount of money remaining for the program and if the remaining money cannot be obligated by September 30, 2022.(8) By December 31, 2023, issue a report to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives and post the report to the department's publicly accessible Internet website. The report shall include the following information: (i) The total number of applications received by the department.(ii) The total amount of qualified child-care providers that received funding.(iii) The qualified child-care providers that received funding by county.(iv) The number of qualified child-care providers that received funding and were open at the time of their application.(v) The number of qualified child-care providers that received funding and were temporarily closed at the time of their application.(vi) The total amount of program funding spent.(vii) If program funding could not be spent, the amount of unspent money and a description as to why all of the program funding was not spent.(viii) A description on the use of program funding.(ix) An itemization of the department's expenditures for administrative costs on the program.(b) Costs.--To the extent permitted by Federal law, the department may utilize an amount not to exceed 10% of the amount appropriated to cover the costs associated with the administration of the program.1929, April 9, P.L. 343, No. 176, art. I-H, § 104-H, added by 2021, June 30, P.L. 62, No. 24, § 7, 7/1/2021