HB 583 Summary

• Establishes a Child Care Accreditation Program within the Department of Human Services to support child care providers in obtaining accreditation from national early learning accrediting organizations.

• Awards upfront grant funding to child care providers for expenses including technical assistance costs and incidental expenses for furniture, equipment, and minor facility renovations required for accreditation.

• Extends deadlines for unaccredited preschool open doors service providers to commence the accreditation process from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2029, and to obtain accreditation from July 1, 2029 to July 1, 2034.

• Requires the Department of Human Services to submit annual reports to the legislature detailing the program status, number of participating providers, expense categories, and percentages of providers who have commenced or obtained accreditation.

• Appropriates funding for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 for program establishment, implementation, administration, and one full-time equivalent position, plus grants to private child care providers.