After Hours Child Care Act

House Bill

H.R. 7498

119th Congress

After Hours Child Care Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 11, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Ashley Hinson

R - IA

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Families

Summary

The After Hours Child Care Act addresses the growing need for childcare options beyond traditional 9-to-5 hours. This bill aims to help working parents who have evening, overnight, or weekend shifts access affordable childcare when they need it most, recognizing that many Americans work non-traditional hours in healthcare, retail, hospitality, and other essential industries.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Introduced2/11/2026

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

After Hours Child Care Act

The After Hours Child Care Act addresses the growing need for childcare options beyond traditional 9-to-5 hours. This bill aims to help working parents who have evening, overnight, or weekend shifts access affordable childcare when they need it most, recognizi

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

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0 predictions

The After Hours Child Care Act addresses the growing need for childcare options beyond traditional 9-to-5 hours. This bill aims to help working parents who have evening, overnight, or weekend shifts access affordable childcare when they need it most, recognizing that many Americans work non-traditional hours in healthcare, retail, hospitality, and other essential industries.

Bill Number: 7498
Introduced: 2/11/2026
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Policy Area: Families

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: After Hours Child Care Act
Bill Number: 7498
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced: 2/11/2026
Summary: The After Hours Child Care Act addresses the growing need for childcare options beyond traditional 9-to-5 hours. This bill aims to help working parents who have evening, overnight, or weekend shifts access affordable childcare when they need it most, recognizing that many Americans work non-traditio

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

The After Hours Child Care Act addresses the growing need for childcare options beyond traditional 9-to-5 hours. This bill aims to help working parents who have evening, overnight, or weekend shifts access affordable childcare when they need it most, recognizing that many Americans work non-traditional hours in healthcare, retail, hospitality, and other essential industries.

Last updated: 2/23/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Supports childcare programs that operate during evenings, nights, and weekends for parents working non-traditional hours
Targets families working in shift-based industries like healthcare, retail, food service, and public safety where standard daycare hours don't meet their needs
Addresses a critical gap in childcare availability that often forces parents to choose between their jobs and adequate care for their children
Particularly beneficial for single parents and families where both parents work outside standard business hours

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This legislation would primarily benefit working families in shift-based and service industries who currently struggle to find childcare during non-traditional hours. The bill could help reduce the difficult choices many parents face between accepting better-paying shift work and ensuring their children have safe, quality supervision. If passed, it would expand childcare accessibility for millions of Americans whose work schedules don't align with typical daycare operating hours.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Families

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

7498, 119th Congress (2026). "After Hours Child Care Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-7498

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