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Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio expands Child Care Choice Voucher income threshold to 400 percent of poverty level and removes rating mandate for home providers
Last action · March 25, 2026: Referred to Children and Human ServicesSponsors: Desireè Tims and 15 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Ohio House Bill 787 raises the maximum family income eligibility for the Child Care Choice Voucher Program from 200 percent to 400 percent of the federal poverty line and exempts participating type A and s from Step Up to Quality rating requirements, effective November 1, 2026.
Middle-income families earning between 200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty line become newly eligible for child care vouchers, while in-home child care providers gain access to the program without needing a state quality rating.
- The General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state of Ohio responsible for enacting state laws and appropriations. context
- H.B. 96 of the 136th General Assembly previously established the baseline provisions and initial funding structure for the Child Care Choice Voucher Program. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
families seeking child care assistance
Families with household incomes between 200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty line become eligible for child care vouchers.
type A family child care homes
licensed type B family child care homes
Provider facilities are exempted from mandatory participation in the Step Up to Quality Program when redeeming vouchers.
Department of Children and Youth
The department must administer the expanded voucher program and implement updated payment rates by November 1, 2026.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new income limit to qualify for the Child Care Choice Voucher Program under this bill?
Do in-home child care providers need a state quality rating to accept these vouchers?
When must the program implement the specified child care payment rates?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Mar 25, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to Children and Human Services
- Mar 24, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 11 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Doubling of Income Eligibility Ceiling
The legislation broadens the reach of state child care assistance by raising the poverty line multiplier from 200% to 400%.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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