MD HB1321

Requires the State Department of Education to identify Child Care Scholarship Program applicants whose children qualify for publicly funded prekindergarten, Head Start, or Early Head Start, and provide information on available slots, provider contacts, and enrollment processes

Repeals the presumptive eligibility process that allowed applicants to receive subsidies immediately upon attestation while their full application was processed

Establishes a sliding fee scale for copayments based on household income above the federal poverty line, with copays gradually increasing as income rises, capped at 7% of annual household income for the highest earners

Eliminates copays entirely for families at or below the federal poverty line, and sets a maximum minimum copay of $10 per month for partial scholarship recipients

Requires the Department to report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2027 on the copayment system, including income bands and average copayments, with the Act taking effect July 1, 2026 contingent on passage of H.B. 849