Bill > HB945

This bill creates the Early Childhood Education and Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program to address Montana's significant child care capacity shortage. The program will provide up to $10 million in one-time grants to licensed child care facilities and school districts for creating new or expanding existing child care programs, with funds usable for property acquisition, construction, remodeling, equipment, and supplies. Grants will range from $50,000 to $500,000 per project, with recipients required to provide matching funds for larger grants and adhere to specific application requirements. The department of commerce will prioritize grants for rural areas, small existing programs, infant care expansion, nonstandard hours, and tribal child care programs. Eligible applicants must be government units or legally incorporated entities in Montana, and must provide quarterly progress reports and maintain separate financial accounts for tracking grant expenditures. The program is designed to address Montana's current child care capacity, which meets only 44% of overall demand and just 32% of infant care demand, potentially helping the estimated 66,000 parents who cannot fully participate in the labor force due to child care limitations. The grant program will be effective from July 1, 2025, and will terminate on June 30, 2031.

Business and Industry

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1689