ME LD2066

Creates the Child Care Employment Award to provide child care subsidies for employees of licensed child care facilities or family child care providers whose children receive care at such licensed facilities

Subsidy payments go directly to the child care facility or provider, not to the individual recipient

Authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules on subsidy amounts, waiting list management, quality standards, and limits on number of children supported

Establishes one full-time Social Services Program Specialist II position in the Office of Child and Family Services to administer the program at a cost of $126,297 in FY2026-27

Appropriates $3,000,000 in General Fund money for FY2026-27 for the award program, with total department allocation of $3,126,297