This bill directs the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services to create administrative rules for child care provider payments, establish a child care scholarship presumptive eligibility pilot program, and conduct a study on the scholarship application process. Key changes include the elimination of the requirement for providers to report hourly attendance for scholarship payments, which aims to streamline data entry and facilitate prospective payments to providers by December 2025. The bill also introduces a presumptive eligibility pilot program that allows applicants meeting specific screening criteria to receive scholarship funds while their applications are processed, with defined timelines and conditions. Additionally, it repeals the existing RSA 167:83, II(t) related to the presumptive eligibility pilot program, effective May 2, 2028, while other provisions will take effect on July 1, 2025.

The bill also mandates a study to assess challenges in the child care scholarship application process and propose improvements by November 2026, with training for district office staff on program changes included in regular training sessions at no extra cost. The Department of Health and Human Services anticipates that the presumptive eligibility pilot program will lead to an indeterminable increase in the number of individuals eligible for child care scholarships, without expanding the overall eligibility pool. The estimated cost for implementing these changes is $371,600 for FY 2026, which includes system changes and the application process study, with no new funding or positions authorized.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 167:83
As Amended by the Senate: 167:83