House Bill No. [insert bill number] aims to expand the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program in Montana by providing scholarships not only to qualified low-income families but also to eligible child-care workers employed at licensed day-care centers or registered family or group day-care homes. The bill amends Sections 52-2-714 and 52-2-715 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to include these child-care workers as beneficiaries of the scholarship program. Specifically, it inserts provisions that define eligibility for child-care workers based on their employment status and household income, while also establishing a new income threshold for families seeking assistance.

Additionally, the bill appropriates $5.5 million from the general fund to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for each year of the biennium starting July 1, 2025, to support the expanded scholarship program. The effective date for the implementation of this act is also set for July 1, 2025. The changes aim to enhance support for child-care workers, thereby improving the overall quality of child care in the state.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_1(1): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_1(2): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_1(3): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_1(4): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_1(5): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_1: 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(1): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(2): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(3): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(4): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(5): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(6): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(7): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(8): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2(9): 52-2-714, 52-2-715
HB0456_2: 52-2-714, 52-2-715