(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in adopting this chapter that every family in California have access to current and robust information regarding the state’s vast array of child care and development services through a publicly available online portal hosted and maintained by the department that includes, among other things, program and eligibility information, the opportunity to connect with resource and referral agencies and providers, the ability to use an online eligibility screening tool in order to assess eligibility for services, a way to link to local child care resource and referral agencies and alternative payment programs for additional assistance in selecting and assessing child care, and access to placement on waiting lists for local subsidized child care programs.

(b) On or before June 30, 2022, the department shall develop and post on the department’s Internet Web site, for use by the general public, an online portal for California’s comprehensive child care and development services.

(c) (1) In planning for future enhancements to the online portal, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall convene, on or before June 30, 2019, a workgroup made up of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of child care resource and referral programs, alternative payment programs, contracted center-based programs, First 5 county commissions, county offices of education, school-based providers, private center-based care providers, and family child care homes. This workgroup shall, on or before June 30, 2020, evaluate, and provide recommendations to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on any necessary modifications or improvements to the online portal to ensure its improved effectiveness, including the consideration of possible models for, and plans for inclusion in the online portal of, components, including, but not limited to, both of the following:

(A) Components to link parents to local child care resource and referral agencies and alternative payment programs for additional assistance in selecting and assessing child care and to place parents on waiting lists for local subsidized child care programs for which subsidized slots are not readily available.

(B) An online eligibility screening tool used to assess eligibility for services.

(2) (A) On or before January 1, 2021, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall submit to the appropriate committees of the Legislature a comprehensive plan for implementing the recommendations of the workgroup and a report proposing plans for enhancements to the online portal, based on recommendations received from the workgroup developed pursuant to paragraph (1), including the components described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1).

(B) The Superintendent of Public Instruction may contract with an outside entity for purposes of completing the report required pursuant to subparagraph (A).

(C) Pursuant to § 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report imposed by this paragraph is inoperative on January 1, 2025.

(d) The requirements of this section are subject to the availability of public or private funding for the purposes of this section. The department may accept grants or in-kind support from any source, public or private, to help perform the requirements of this section.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 116, Sec. 260. (AB 131) Effective July 23, 2021.)