# Virginia SB3: Employee Child Care Assistance Program; established, reports.

Virginia SB3, Employee Child Care Assistance Program; established, reports., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0546)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB3-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB3
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Employee Child Care Assistance Program; established, reports.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-11-17
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0546)
- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (249 yes, 4 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Employee Child Care Assistance Program established. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Program to provide matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed delivery provider on behalf of the employee or to a third-party administrator, as defined by the bill, and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. The bill specifies that, to the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the bill clarifies that the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to proposals involving contributions from small businesses. The bill requires the Foundation to provide an interim report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2028, and a summative report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2030, on the effectiveness and impact of the Program. This bill is identical to HB 18.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Unspent child care funds stay through 2030: benefit, low. Unspent program money on June 30, 2027 or June 30, 2028 does not return to the general fund. It stays available for this program through June 30, 2030. The Foundation can also combine this program with other mixed-delivery early childhood efforts to coordinate services.
- Employer-backed child care help for families: mixed, medium. The law creates a program that matches employer payments toward employees’ child care. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation runs it and pays the state match to an approved administrator. Who can get help and the family share are set in the state budget. Money is limited and first-come, first-ser…
- Small employers get priority, must contribute: mixed, medium. To take part, an employer must pay toward workers’ child care, either to a provider or an approved administrator, and provide needed information. An employer qualifies if it has at least one worker in Virginia in 20 or more weeks this year or last. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees get…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 94 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0546) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 546 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB3) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB3ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-27: House substitute agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Passed House with substitute (94-Y 4-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-25: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-25: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-25: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-25: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB3) (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-20: Committee substitute printed 26108281D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-18: Assigned HAPP sub: Elementary & Secondary Education (House)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Appropriations (House)
- 2026-02-18: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-18: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB3) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Committee substitute printed 26107571D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Incorporates SB119 (Carroll Foy) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB3) (Senate)
- 2025-11-17: Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations (Senate)
- 2025-11-17: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100206D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218680.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218679.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187730.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187729.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171479.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171478.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139504.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139503.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-11-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081232.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081231.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218680.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218679.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187730.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187729.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171479.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171478.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139504.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139503.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081232.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081231.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB3-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).