Bill > SB483

This bill creates a contingent appropriation of $15 million to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for recruitment and benefit grants to child care employers, which will be triggered if the federal government denies or fails to approve the use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reserve funds for the same purpose. The bill builds upon a previous budget provision that initially attempted to allocate $7.5 million in federal TANF funds for each fiscal year (2026 and 2027) to support child care employer recruitment and retention efforts. If by July 1, 2026, the federal government has not approved the use of TANF funds or has explicitly denied their use, the state will automatically appropriate $15 million from the general fund to achieve the same goal. The DHHS is required to make an initial request for federal approval no later than August 1, 2025, and must notify the fiscal committee of the general court about the federal government's decision. The appropriation is nonlapsing, meaning the funds will remain available even if not spent within the fiscal year, and the governor is authorized to draw the warrant from unappropriated treasury funds. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Budget and Finance

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1233&inflect=2