State Rep. Bryan Terry, MD (R-Murfreesboro), on March 31 passed House Bill 2559 which will help with accommodations for child care during a normal workday. The bill extends from seven hours to nine hours the amount of time a child may stay at a drop-in child care center. State Sen. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) sponsored the companion bill in the Senate.
“Whether it is a single parent or a family looking to have the second parent help provide a two-income household, finding child care to assist in that endeavor is often a daunting task,” stated Terry. “We found where our Tennessee law limited child care in a drop-in center to seven hours during a business day or 14 hours total during the business week. That law severely restricted the opportunity for parents to work an average eight-hour workday. By extending it to nine hours, that at least gives the parent the time to work an average day and commute to the drop-in center.”
“For those families looking for extra shifts or work opportunities, or for parents on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) looking to improve their situation, this bill helps in those situations,” said Terry. “Last year, I passed the TANF Opportunity Act, which provides our Tennesseans who are the most in need with a pathway to prosperity. We will continue to look for barriers and remove those roadblocks from the pathway.”