This bill proposes to amend section 46-803 of the Arizona Revised Statutes by eliminating the current requirement for the establishment of waiting lists for child care assistance and the prioritization of assistance based on different eligibility categories. Under current law, the department must manage child care assistance within appropriated funds, starting priority for assistance at families with incomes at one hundred percent of the federal poverty level and continuing to those at one hundred sixty-five percent, regardless of how long they have been on the waiting list.

The new bill language would appropriate a specified amount from the state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to the department of economic security, aimed at eliminating the waiting list entirely. This change would allow for child care assistance to be provided to eligible families with incomes up to one hundred sixty-five percent of the federal poverty level, thereby expanding access to child care support without the constraints of a waiting list.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 46-803