Bill > S593

This bill establishes a two-year statewide pilot program to provide child care expansion assistance grants, allocating $30 million from the General Fund to help child care providers who are full-time employees (defined as working at least 32 hours per week) at licensed child care centers or homes. The grants aim to help recruit and retain employees by subsidizing child care costs for their own children, with eligibility limited to workers earning at or below 85% of the state median income. When a child care program receives a grant, the state will pay 75% of the published tuition rates for up to two children per eligible employee, while the employer covers the remaining 25%. The Division of Child Development and Early Education will prioritize counties with the highest unmet demand for child care and will distribute grants statewide, with providers not required to participate in the federal Child Care Assistance Program to be eligible. The program will run from July 2025 to 2027, and the Division must submit progress reports in March 2026 and December 2027, detailing participation, new child care slots created, and the number of children served across different counties and age groups.

Budget and Finance

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S593