The "Early Childhood Education Act" (SB 522-FN-A) is designed to enhance early childhood education in New Hampshire by establishing an early childhood education account (ECEA) grant program. This program will provide grants to eligible pre-kindergarten children for various educational expenses. The bill defines "eligible child" as a state resident between 4 and 5 years old, with an expansion to include 3 to 5-year-olds starting July 1, 2028, and belonging to households with income at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The ECEA program's funding is non-lapsing and includes contributions from the education trust, general funds, and donations from individuals and businesses, with the latter eligible for tax credits. The bill also mandates the development of standards for pre-kindergarten programs and identifies funding streams for implementation.

The bill requires the New Hampshire Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules and modify eligibility for the childcare scholarship program, with a focus on special education and underserved regions. It also includes a fiscal note indicating an indeterminate increase in expenditures for the ECEA program, with specific costs projected for FY 2026 and FY 2027. The bill does not provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures and does not authorize new positions. There are concerns about the transfer of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) funds to the ECEA, which could contravene CCDF regulations and potentially result in the forfeiture of these funds in future fiscal years. The bill does not specify any new legal language to be inserted or existing legal language to be deleted from current law.

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