Aligning child care subsidy base rates in Franklin county with Benton and Walla Walla counties.

 S-3920.1

SENATE BILL 6179

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2026 Regular Session

By Senator Dozier

AN ACT Relating to aligning child care subsidy base rates in Franklin county with Benton and Walla Walla counties; and amending RCW 43.216.828 .

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.828 and 2025 c 424 s 957 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) It is the intent of the legislature to systemically increase child care subsidy rates over time until rates are equal to the full cost of providing high quality child care.

(2) Beginning July 1, 2026, child care subsidy base rates must achieve the 85th percentile of market, as established by the most recent market rate survey published before May 20, 2025, for licensed or certified child care providers. The state and the exclusive representative for family child care providers must enter into bargaining over the implementation of the subsidy rate increase under this subsection.