Establishes five-year Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program; appropriates $15 million.
This bill establishes the five-year Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Department of Children and Families. The program is designed to make child care more affordable by splitting eligible child care costs equally among three parties: the participating employer, the eligible employee, and the State. The bill applies to licensed child care providers and registered family day care providers, and it limits the State’s share to no more than one-third of eligible costs, subject to available funding and a cap tied to the State child care assistance program.
To administer the program, the commissioner must select three to five geographically diverse regional facilitator hubs to serve as intermediaries among employers, families, child care providers, and the State. These hubs would help determine eligibility, recruit employers and providers, coordinate payments, and verify licensure and employment information. The bill also requires annual reporting to the Governor and Legislature on program participation, costs, workforce retention, provider stability, and whether the program should be continued, expanded, or modified. The bill appropriates $15 million from the General Fund for the pilot.
The bill would add a new child care subsidy pilot program to Title 34 of the Revised Statutes and create a new state-administered funding stream for employer-based child care assistance. It would authorize the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to establish eligibility rules, approve applications, recapture funds in cases of fraud or noncompliance, and adopt implementing regulations. It also directs state funds to be distributed among regional facilitator hubs, with up to 9 percent of each hub’s allocation available for administration, and it prioritizes low- and moderate-income workers, essential workers, and public-sector employees.
The bill’s structure suggests broad support for expanding child care affordability and workforce support, with an emphasis on helping working families, employers, and child care providers simultaneously. Because no committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of opposition or amendment activity in the available record. The bill’s framing as a pilot program with reporting requirements and a defined funding cap indicates an effort to test the model before any broader expansion.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be fiscal cost, program administration, and eligibility targeting. The $15 million appropriation and the State’s obligation to cover one-third of costs may draw scrutiny from budget-focused lawmakers, especially if demand exceeds available funds. There may also be debate over whether the program should prioritize low- and moderate-income families, essential workers, and public employees, and whether employer participation requirements and regional hub administration will be workable across different parts of the State. No specific objections were recorded in the provided materials.