Establishing the Tri-Share Child Care Assistance Program

HB 4192 establishes the West Virginia Tri-Share Child-Care Assistance Program, which provides state-funded matching support for child-care costs for working families who do not qualify for existing state child-care subsidies. The program requires employers (with at least 20 employees working in WV for 20+ weeks annually) to contribute to employee child-care costs, with the state matching that contribution up to 100% using funds from a dedicated state fund. Eligible employees must have household income at or below the state median, and the Department of Commerce administers the program, verifying eligibility and distributing state matches directly to approved child-care facilities. This program is designed to supplement, not replace, the current state child-care subsidy system.