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68th Legislature 2023 HB 648.1
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 648
2 INTRODUCED BY A. BUCKLEY, T. WELCH, G. NIKOLAKAKOS, G. FRAZER, E. BUTTREY, G. OBLANDER,
3 M. YAKAWICH, S. FITZPATRICK, D. SALOMON, B. BARKER, K. ABBOTT, J. KASSMIER, J. KARLEN, S.
4 HOWELL
5
6 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE BEST BEGINNINGS CHILD CARE
7 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; SETTING THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY LEVEL AT 200% OF THE FEDERAL
8 POVERTY LEVEL; REQUIRING A MONTHLY COPAYMENT FROM AN ELIGIBLE FAMILY; PROVIDING AN
9 APPROPRIATION; AMENDING SECTION 52-2-713, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
10
11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
12
13 NEW SECTION. Section 1. Best beginnings child care scholarship program. There is a best
14 beginnings child care scholarship program administered by the department. The program is established to
15 provide scholarships to qualified low-income families whose child received care provided by a licensed child
16 care provider or day-care facility.
17
18 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Family income eligibility requirements. In determining income
19 eligibility for the best beginnings child care scholarship program, the department shall set a qualifying income
20 threshold at no less than 200% of the federal poverty level for each family size.
21
22 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Copayment requirements. Each eligible family shall participate in the
23 cost of child care by making a copayment. The department shall establish the following copayment amounts:
24 (1) for an eligible family with a qualifying income less than 100% of the federal poverty level, a
25 copayment of $10 for each eligible family for each month; and
26 (2) for an eligible family with a qualifying income of 100% of the federal poverty level or more, a
27 copayment based on a sliding fee scale not to exceed 7% of an eligible family's monthly income.
28
-1- Authorized Print Version – HB 648
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 648.1
1 Section 4. Section 52-2-713, MCA, is amended to read:
2 "52-2-713. Payments for eligible children. The department shall pay a rate established by the
3 department and appropriated by the legislature based on a child's enrollment and set at the child's monthly
4 authorized amount to a day-care facility licensed or registered by the department for each child receiving day-
5 care service and certified eligible by the department to receive day-care services."
6
7 NEW SECTION. Section 5. Appropriation. There is appropriated $10 million from the general fund
8 to the department of public health and human services in each year of the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, for
9 the purposes of [sections 1 through 4].
10
11 NEW SECTION. Section 6. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 through 3] are intended to be
12 codified as an integral part of Title 52, chapter 2, part 7, and the provisions of Title 52, chapter 2, part 7, apply
13 to [sections 1 through 3].
14
15 NEW SECTION. Section 7. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2023.
16 - END -
-2- Authorized Print Version – HB 648


Statutes affected:
HB0648_1.pdf: 52-2-713
HB0648_2.pdf: 52-2-713
HB0648_3.pdf: 52-2-713
Amended: 52-2-713
Introduced: 52-2-713