HB 1611-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2410
05/08
HOUSE BILL 1611-FN
AN ACT relative to establishing a child care workforce fund.
SPONSORS: Rep. McWilliams, Merr. 30; Rep. Toll, Ches. 15; Rep. Preece, Hills. 17; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Wallner, Merr. 19; Rep. O'Neil, Rock. 29; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a child care workforce fund.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2410
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to establishing a child care workforce fund.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Child Care Workforce Fund. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 17-a the following new section:
126-A:17-b Child Care Workforce Fund Established.
I. There is hereby established in the state treasury a child care workforce fund to finance recruitment and retention grants for eligible New Hampshire child care employees. The fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purposes of this section. The department may accept any private, state, or federal moneys for deposit in fund. The state treasurer shall invest the moneys deposited in the fund as provided by law. Interest earned on moneys deposited in the fund shall be deposited into the fund.
II. Grants shall be awarded by the department to eligible child care employees for the purposes of staff retention and recruitment. The flexible funding may be used to support an individual employee in any of the following ways:
(a) Deposit into an eligible, tax-advantaged health savings account or flexible spending account or individual retirement savings account or retirement plan;
(b) Employee credentialing; continuing education; certificate programs; and payment towards a physical, first-aid certification, CPR certification, background check, or other credentials required for the child care position.
(c) Sign-on and/or retention incentives and/or wage increases;
(d) Professional costs such as training, CPR, or memberships in professional organizations;
(e) Child care tuition assistance;
(f) Health, dental, whole life, and/or vision insurance plans;
(g) Paid time off equivalent;
(h) Child care tuition discount;
(i) Student loan repayment; or
(j) Telemedicine coverage.
III. Eligibility for a grant from the child care workforce fund shall be as follows:
(a) Eligible child care employees shall be employed in:
(1) Child care programs operating in New Hampshire with an active child care license or that are license-exempt and enrolled in the department of health and human services child care scholarship program. These programs shall include those who serve children from birth through age 12 and are also referred to as center-based, family-based, early childhood education, early learning, outside of school time, before and after school, and summer camp programs; and
(2) Non-profit and privately-owned center-based and family-based child care programs.
(b) If grant application requests exceed available funding, preference shall be given to eligible child care employees employed in programs which are enrolled in New Hampshire's child care scholarship program.
2 New Subparagraph; Dedicated Fund. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (394) the following new subparagraph:
(395) Moneys deposited in the child care workforce fund as established in RSA 126-A:17-b, I.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
24-2410
12/12/23
HB 1611-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to establishing a child care workforce fund.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Due to time constraints, the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to provide a fiscal note for this bill, as introduced, at this time. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the House Clerk's Office.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services