Bill > LD2066

This bill establishes the Child Care Employment Award, a new program designed to provide financial subsidies to child care workers who are employed at licensed child care facilities or family child care providers and whose own children are receiving care at those same facilities. The subsidies will be paid directly to the child care facilities, and the Department of Health and Human Services is authorized to create routine technical rules governing the program, including details about subsidy amounts, waiting list management, quality standards, and limits on the number of children supported. The bill requires the department to create a full-time, permanent staff position within the Office of Child and Family Services specifically to administer this award program. Additionally, the bill allocates $3,000,000 in general fund money for fiscal year 2026-27 and establishes one new Social Services Program Specialist II position with a total personnel and administrative cost of $126,297 for that same fiscal year. The goal appears to be supporting child care workers by helping to offset their own child care expenses and potentially improving workforce retention in the child care sector.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=2066&snum=132