HF4735 Summary

• Expands child care assistance eligibility to include relative custodians, successor custodians, and foster parents, with changes to family definitions and funding allocations for calendar year 2024.

• Increases maximum child care reimbursement rates effective October 3, 2022, raising infant/toddler rates to 75th percentile and establishing rates to update every three years starting January 1, 2025.

• Establishes brain builders bonus program providing grants up to $5,000 annually to infant care providers and creates shared services grants and technology access grants for family child care providers.

• Modifies child care licensing requirements including exit interview procedures, dispute resolution processes for family child care providers, and inspection frequency changes from "annually" to "once each calendar year."

• Appropriates $65.9 million in fiscal year 2023 for child care assistance, early education, and related programs including developmental screening aid increases, Head Start funding, early learning scholarships, and workforce development initiatives.