H.F. 3328 Summary

• Expands early learning scholarship eligibility to include children from birth to age five who are siblings of scholarship recipients, homeless children, children in foster care, and children whose parents are under age 21 pursuing a high school diploma or equivalency.

• Allocates at least half of available early learning scholarship funding to eligible children from birth to age two and prioritizes applications from homeless, foster care, and young parent families.

• Establishes a targeted home visiting grant program under the Commissioner of Health to serve families living in poverty with children prenatal through age five, including pregnant and parenting teens, families experiencing violence or isolation, and families with mental health or housing needs.

• Grants may be awarded to nonprofit organizations, community health boards, tribal governments, or collaborations operating home visiting programs for at least two years, with priority given to programs not currently receiving state home visiting funding.

• Appropriates $70,209,000 in fiscal year 2018 and 2019 for early learning scholarships, with up to $950,000 annually for program administration, and provides unspecified appropriations for the targeted home visiting grant program beginning in fiscal year 2019.