A New Jersey Assembly committee advanced legislation that would require the state to create and maintain a formal waiting list for families seeking child care assistance whenever funding runs out.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, would direct the Department of Human Services to track applicants who are presumptively eligible for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) but cannot be served due to limited funding.

The Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee approved the measure by a 6-0 vote.

New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program helps income-eligible families afford child care. However, the program temporarily stopped accepting new applications last summer after officials cited funding shortfalls. Applications resumed on a limited basis in December.

Speight, who chairs the Aging and Human Services Committee, said the funding freeze highlighted vulnerabilities in the state’s child care system.

“Child care is a critical part of New Jersey’s infrastructure,” Speight said in a statement. “Last year’s freezing of new CCAP applications underscored the fragility of New Jersey’s child care system. Establishing a waitlist is a critical step toward understanding the scope of need and providing data necessary to make informed decisions about the program at the state level.”

Under current practice, families whose applications cannot be processed because of funding limits may receive little information about their status or when assistance might become available, which can discourage families from reapplying and complicate decisions about work and caregiving.

The legislation would require the Division of Family Development within the Department of Human Services to maintain a list of applicants deemed presumptively eligible but unable to receive benefits due to funding constraints.

The bill also would require the division to designate contracted child care resource and referral agencies as official access points to help families complete and submit applications, including standardized self-attestation forms used to determine eligibility.

Additionally, the division would be required to publish at least twice a year aggregate data on applicants who qualify for and apply to receive assistance through the program.

CCAP provides subsidies to income-eligible parents who are working, in school, or in job training. While new enrollments were halted as of Aug. 1, 2025, current recipients have continued to receive assistance.

The program has been providing subsidies for nearly 70,000 children across the state – with over 6,000 of those in the Lakewood area – at a cost of approximately $872 million in state and federal funds.

To be eligible, families must meet certain work or education and income requirements; for example, a family of four cannot exceed a gross income of $64,300, and family assets for all income levels must not exceed $1 million.

The bill now moves to the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee.