House Bill 1979, known as the "Promising Futures Act," seeks to improve child care access and support for working families in Tennessee by establishing the Promising Futures Fund. This fund will be financed through dedicated revenues from vapor products and hemp-derived cannabinoid products, along with other appropriated funds. The bill introduces several pilot programs, including the Child Care Workforce Scholarship Pilot Program, CareShare Tennessee Pilot Program, and Smart Steps Plus Program, aimed at enhancing child care workforce stability, encouraging employer participation in child care cost-sharing, and providing access to child care for families who do not qualify for existing subsidy programs.

Additionally, the bill outlines new reporting and evaluation requirements for the programs administered by the Department of Human Services, mandating annual reports that include financial summaries, performance data, participation statistics, and assessments of program effectiveness. It also amends sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated to ensure that excess revenues from fees and penalties are reallocated to the Promising Futures Fund, rather than reverting to the general fund, thereby ensuring that funds are used for the specific purposes outlined in the act. The provisions of the act are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 57-7-106, 57-7-106(f), 57-7-108, 57-7-112, 57-7-113, 67-4-1025, 67-4-1034, 67-4-1035