HF 2600 (LSB 5648HZ (1) 88)

HOUSE FILE 2600

BY  COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2488)
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2171)

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a child care workforce state matching grants program and fund administered by the early childhood Iowa state board to award matching state grants to eligible communities and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256I.4, Code 2020, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  20.  Establish and administer the child care workforce state matching grants program and fund pursuant to section 256I.14. 
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  256I.14  Child care workforce state matching grants program and fund.
   1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
   a.  “Fund” means the child care workforce state matching grants fund.
   b.  “Program” means the child care workforce state matching grants program. 
   2.  a.  A child care workforce state matching grants fund is created in the state treasury under the control of the state board and consists of any moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys available and obtained or accepted by the state board for placement in the fund. The fund shall be used to provide matching state grants to eligible communities under the program. The state board shall use any moneys specifically appropriated for purposes of this section only for the purposes of this section. 
   b.  Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to any other fund but shall remain in the fund for expenditures for subsequent fiscal years. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall accrue to the state board and shall be used for purposes of this section. All repayments, payments of interest, or recaptures of grants provided under this section shall accrue to the state board and shall be used for purposes of this section.
   c.  The state board shall use not more than five percent of the moneys in the fund at the beginning of the fiscal year for purposes of administrative costs, marketing, and other program support.
   3.  The state board shall establish a child care workforce state matching grants program to provide matching state grants, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, to eligible communities that provide funding for the child care WAGE$ Iowa program, the teacher education and compensation helps scholarship program, or other child care workforce strategies. 
   4.  A community seeking a matching state grant under the program shall apply to the state board pursuant to rules adopted by the department and the state board. 
   5.  The department and the state board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement and administer this section. 
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a child care workforce state matching grants program and fund administered by the early childhood Iowa state board to award matching state grants to eligible communities.
   A child care workforce state matching grants fund (fund) is created in the state treasury under the control of the early childhood Iowa state board (board) and consists of any moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys available and obtained or accepted by the board for placement in the fund. The fund is to be used to provide matching state grants under the child care workforce state matching grants program (program) to communities that provide funding for the child care WAGE$ Iowa program, the teacher education and compensation helps scholarship program, or other child care workforce strategies. The board must use any moneys specifically appropriated for the program only for the purposes of the program. 
   Moneys in the fund at the end of each fiscal year do not revert to any other fund but remain in the fund for expenditures for subsequent fiscal years. Interest or earnings on moneys in the fund accrue to the board to be used for purposes of the program. All repayments, payments of interest, or recaptures of grants provided under the program accrue to the board and must be used for purposes of the program.
   The board cannot use more than 5 percent of the moneys in the fund at the beginning of the fiscal year for purposes of administrative costs, marketing, and other program support.
   A community seeking a matching state grant under the program must apply to the board pursuant to rules adopted by the department of management and the board. The bill directs the department of management and the board to adopt rules to implement and administer the provisions of the bill.