The bill proposes the establishment of the Child Care Cred Program under section 5180.41 of the Revised Code, aimed at assisting eligible employees with child care costs while enabling employers to attract and retain talent. The program will share child care costs equally among eligible employees, their employers, and the Department of Children and Youth, with each party contributing one-third of the costs. Participation in the program is voluntary, and employers will select which employees to include. To qualify, employees must reside in Ohio, be ineligible for publicly funded child care, and be chosen by their employer, while employers must employ individuals working in the state.

The bill also includes provisions for the administration of the program, requiring employees and employers to submit applications to the department for eligibility determination. The department will coordinate the sharing of costs and payments to child care providers, with the option to delegate some administrative tasks to third-party entities. Additionally, the bill allocates $10 million from the General Revenue Fund for the Child Care Cred Program for fiscal year 2026, with provisions for additional funding if necessary. The department is authorized to adopt rules for implementation, which will not be subject to certain regulatory restrictions.