Establishing a child care workforce state matching grants program and fund administered by the early childhood Iowa state board to award matching state grants to eligible communities and making an appropriation

This bill establishes a child care workforce state matching grants program and fund administered by the early childhood Iowa state board to award matching state grants to eligible communities. A child care workforce state matching grants fund (fund) is created in the state treasury under the control of the early childhood Iowa state board (board) and consists of any moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys available and obtained or accepted by the board for placement in the fund. The fund is to be used to provide matching state grants under the child care workforce state matching grants program (program) to communities that provide funding for the child care WAGE$ Iowa program, the teacher education and compensation helps scholarship program, or other child care workforce strategies. The board must use any moneys specifically appropriated for the program only for the purposes of the program. Moneys in the fund at the end of each fiscal year do not revert to any other fund but remain in the fund for expenditures for subsequent fiscal years. Interest or earnings on moneys in the fund accrue to the board to be used for purposes of the program. All repayments, payments of interest, or recaptures of grants provided under the program accrue to the board and must be used for purposes of the program. The board cannot use more than percent of the moneys in the fund at the beginning of the fiscal year for purposes of administrative costs, marketing, and other program support. A community seeking a matching state grant under the program must apply to the board pursuant to rules adopted by the department of management and the board. The bill directs the department of management and the board to adopt rules to implement and administer the provisions of the bill.