Relating to the creation of a child care solutions fund, and making an appropriation

This bill relates to the creation of a child care solutions fund (fund) under the control of the department of health and human services (HHS). The bill defines “child care worker” as a person employed by a child care provider and whose primary duties involve the provision of child care to children in this state. The bill defines “community” as a geographic area designated by HHS. The bill also defines “fund”. The fund consists of moneys appropriated by the general assembly for the purposes detailed in the bill; interest attributable to the investment of moneys in the fund; and moneys from gifts, devises, donations, and grants that are intended to be used for the fund’s purposes. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to HHS for distributions to communities. Distributions must be used to provide a state match of $2 for every $1 of private investment a community obtains to increase the wages of child care workers. The bill requires HHS to establish eligibility requirements for a geographic area to be designated as a community, and for the geographic area to maintain the community designation. HHS must continue to designate communities until the entire geographic area of the state is within a community. The bill requires HHS, on or before January 1 of each year, to submit a report, as detailed in the bill, for the immediately preceding fiscal year to the general assembly relating to the fund, and the impact on communities who received money from the fund. The bill requires HHS to adopt rules to administer the fund. The bill requires HHS to use the moneys in the fund to continue to provide state matching moneys to communities that received funds due to the community’s participation in HHS’s child care wage enhancement project during FY 2024-2025. The bill appropriates $6 million to HHS for FY 2025-2026 for deposit in the fund.