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Minutes for SB513 - Committee on Ways and Means
Short Title
Directing the Kansas department for children and families to develop, procure and implement software to provide direct child care subsidy payments to child care providers.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 10, 2026
Chairperson Billinger opened the hearing on SB 513. Jessie Pringle, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 2)
Jessica Lucas, on behalf of David Jordan of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, testified in support of the bill as it would strengthen the child care system by providing for direct-to-provider payments. The current process is an administrative burden that discourages participation in the subsidy program. Seventy one percent of providers indicated they would be more likely to participate in the state program if there were direct payments. Ms. Lucas responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 3)
Andrea Eliot, Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs, spoke as a proponent of the bill. The Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs covers twenty three communities and is the largest child care provider in the state. A large number of the families they serve rely on subsidies for child care and this addresses structural problems their directors face every day. The current system is burdensome to providers and challenging for families, which result in issues with delayed or missed payments that can create a cash flow problem. Ms. Eliot responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 4)
Written only testimony in support of the bill was submitted by:
John Wilson, Kansas Action for Children (Attachment 5)
Heather Schrotberger, Kansas Head Start Association (Attachment 6)
Clare Sanford, New Horizon Academy (Attachment 7)
Paula Neth, Futures First (Attachment 8)
Annell Harmon, Harmon & Harmon Family Child Care (Attachment 9)
Written only testimony neutral to the bill was submitted by:
Christi Smith, Kansas Office of Early Childhood (Attachment 10)
Carla Whiteside-Hicks, Department for Children and Families (Attachment 11)
There being no further conferees, Chairperson Billinger closed the hearing on SB 513.
