Bill Text: NH HB566 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relative to establishing a fund for child care workers and early childhood educators at state licensed child care centers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-09-20 - Subcommittee Work Session: 09/29/2023 10:00 am Legislative Office Building 205-207 House Calendar 38 [HB566 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2023-HB566-Introduced.html

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HB 566-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2023 SESSION

23-0303

06/10

 

HOUSE BILL 566-FN-A

 

AN ACT relative to establishing a fund for child care workers and early childhood educators at state licensed child care centers.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Germana, Ches. 1; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10

 

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a child care workforce fund to provide grants to eligible child care employers for child care workforce recruitment and retention bonuses and benefits.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0303

06/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

 

AN ACT relative to establishing a fund for child care workers and early childhood educators at state licensed child care centers.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; Child Care Workforce Fund.  Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 17-a the following new section:

126-A:17-b  Child Care Workforce Fund; Child Care Workforce Recruitment and Retention Bonus and Benefit Program Established.

I.  There is hereby established a child care workforce fund to finance recruitment and retention bonus grants for eligible New Hampshire child care employers at license child care centers.  The fund shall be non-lapsing and continually appropriated to the department, and shall be funded by state appropriations and any available federal funds received by the department.

II.  The department shall determine grants to be awarded as follows:

(a)  All grantees shall deliver workforce bonuses on the following schedule:

(1)  For new child care worker employees, a sign-on bonus of $1,000, distributed after 6 months of employment.

(2)  For new early childhood educator employees, a sign-on bonus of $1,500, distributed after 6 months of employment.

(3)  For new child care worker employees who continue with their employment, a retention bonus of $2,000, distributed at fiscal quarter 2 of the third year of employment; a retention bonus of $2,500, distributed at fiscal quarter 2 of the fifth year of employment; and, a retention bonus of $2,500, distributed at fiscal quarter 2 of every additional fifth year of employment thereafter.

(4)  For new early childhood educator employees who continue with their employment, a retention bonus of $2,500, distributed at fiscal quarter 2 of the third year of employment; a retention bonus of $3,000, distributed at fiscal quarter 2 of the fifth year of employment; and, a retention bonus of $3,000, distributed at fiscal quarter 2 of every additional fifth year of employment thereafter.

III.  To receive a grant from the child care workforce fund, the recipient shall be a child care center licensed by the department.

IV.  For the purposes of this section, a "child care worker" is defined as a full-time employee with a high school degree or diploma; and, a "childhood educator" is defined as a full-time employee who qualifies as a "lead teacher" under the department of health and human service state licensing procedures and regulations.

2  New Subparagraph; Dedicated Fund.  Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (387) the following new subparagraph:

(388)  Moneys deposited in the child care workforce fund as established in RSA 126-A:17-b, I.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.

 

LBA

23-0303

1/9/23

 

HB 566-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to establishing a fund for child care workers and early childhood educators at state licensed child care centers.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to provide a fiscal note for this bill, as it is awaiting information from the Department of Health and Human Services. The Department was contacted on 12/29/22. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the House Clerk's Office.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services