SB 315

This bill enacts the "Workers Need Child Care Act, "" which creates within the state general fund a special account to be known as the child care infrastructure fund (the "" fund "" ) in order to align child care with workforce development needs. The department of human services must administer the fund, which is composed of money appropriated by the general assembly for the fund, and gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the fund. This bill requires the department to allocate and disperse grants each fiscal year from the fund to nonprofit entities to be expended only for establishing a new licensed child care agency in this state. Money in the fund may be used by the department for program administration, marketing expenses, and program evaluation . H owever, such expenses must not exceed 5% of the total amount appropriated for the program in any fiscal year. This bill provides that a ll expenditures from the fund are subject to review in the form of an annual report submitted by the commissioner of human services to certain legislative committees with jurisdiction over health-related matters . This bill requires the department to promulgate rules necessary to effectuate this bill."