Text to be removed highlighted in red.
1 Findings and Purpose. The general court finds:
I. The availability of quality, affordable, safe, and reliable child care is critical for parents to remain in the workforce, build a strong and future-focused economy, and provide a supportive environment for healthy child development, preparing children for success in school and in life.
II. Broad investment in the child care system has been identified as a priority by diverse stakeholders including businesses, state leaders, providers, early care and education professionals, higher education, faith leaders, and families across New Hampshire.
III. New Hampshire's child care scholarship plays a significant role in ensuring all New Hampshire families have choice and access to quality, safe, and reliable child care, regardless of income, geographic location, or field of work.
IV. Aligning the child care scholarship program with New Hampshire child care business practices enables child care providers to include scholarship-eligible children in their programs without excessive administrative burdens.
V. Reducing unnecessary administrative barriers will help ensure eligible families and providers are not unnecessarily deterred from participating in the child care scholarship program.
VI. Adopting a streamlined system of presumptive eligibility will remove undue delays in the provision of child care.
2 New Subparagraphs; New Hampshire Employment Program and Family Assistance Program; Rulemaking. Amend RSA 167:83, II by inserting after subparagraph (r) the following new subparagraphs:
(s) Payments for child care providers. Such rules shall:
(1) Streamline data entry requirements for providers receiving child care scholarship payments by eliminating any requirement to report hourly attendance, to the extent that such reporting is not necessary for administering child care scholarship payments; and
(2) By December 2025, implement a system of prospective provider payments, through which child care providers shall receive scholarship program payments in advance of or at the beginning of each payment period. If a provider begins providing care to a child in the middle of a service period, the department may delay the first payment until the start of the next service period.
(t) Child care scholarship presumptive eligibility pilot program.
(1) The department shall develop and implement a presumptive eligibility pilot program, whereby applicants who meet threshold screening requirements established by the department will receive the benefit of child care scholarship funds while the application process is underway, from the date of the initial screening until the earliest of:
(A) 60 days after the initial screening;
(B) The date on which a final eligibility determination is made; or
(C) The expiration of a submission period, the length of which shall be identified by the department, if the applicant fails to submit the required information or documentation to establish eligibility during this period. The department shall provide both the applicant and the child care provider at least 10 days notice, and shall supply the applicant a list of the verification documents still required to determine eligibility, before terminating the presumptive eligibility period on this basis.
(2) Except in cases of fraud or intentional violation of program rules, no child care provider and no scholarship applicant shall held be responsible for the costs of care paid from scholarship funds during such period of presumptive eligibility, even if the child is ultimately determined ineligible for scholarship funds.
(3) The department shall establish criteria and parameters as needed to implement the program.
(4) The duration of this pilot program shall be 24 months, beginning January 1, 2026.
(5) On or before May 1, 2028, the department shall provide a detailed report of the presumptive eligibility pilot program to the house health and human services oversight committee and senate health and human services committee of the general court. The report shall include the following information:
(A) Information regarding family and provider interest and utilization of the program during the pilot period;
(B) Information regarding the costs and benefits of the program as implemented, and any suggestions for improvements;
(C) Funding levels necessary to sustain the program going forward; and
(D) Any other relevant information regarding the program.
(u) Child care scholarship application processes study. Such rules shall direct the department, by May 1, 2026, to evaluate information regarding challenges in the application process and make a plan for the implementation of improvements such as a fast-track application or other appropriate measures, to ensure that child care scholarship applicants do not face unnecessary burdens in the eligibility determination process and are not directed to submit information or documents that are not necessary for determination of child care scholarship program eligibility, except when an applicant has expressly opted to be considered for other assistance programs.
(v) District office staff training. The department of health and human services shall develop and engage in training of all district office staff regarding changes to the child care scholarship program.
3 Prospective Repeal. RSA 167:83, II(t), related to the child care scholarship presumptive eligibility pilot program, is repealed.
4 Effective Date.
I. Section 3 of this act shall take effect May 2, 2028.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
Text to be added highlighted in green.
1 Findings and Purpose. The general court finds:
I. The availability of quality, affordable, safe, and reliable child care is critical for parents to remain in the workforce, build a strong and future-focused economy, and provide a supportive environment for healthy child development, preparing children for success in school and in life.
II. Broad investment in the child care system has been identified as a priority by diverse stakeholders including businesses, state leaders, providers, early care and education professionals, higher education, faith leaders, and families across New Hampshire.
III. New Hampshire's child care scholarship plays a significant role in ensuring all New Hampshire families have choice and access to quality, safe, and reliable child care, regardless of income, geographic location, or field of work.
IV. Aligning the child care scholarship program with New Hampshire child care business practices enables child care providers to include scholarship-eligible children in their programs without excessive administrative burdens.
V. Reducing unnecessary administrative barriers will help ensure eligible families and providers are not unnecessarily deterred from participating in the child care scholarship program.
VI. Adopting a streamlined system of presumptive eligibility will remove undue delays in the provision of child care.
2 New Subparagraphs; New Hampshire Employment Program and Family Assistance Program; Rulemaking. Amend RSA 167:83, II by inserting after subparagraph (r) the following new subparagraphs:
(s) Payments for child care providers. Such rules shall:
(1) Streamline data entry requirements for providers receiving child care scholarship payments by eliminating any requirement to report hourly attendance, to the extent that such reporting is not necessary for administering child care scholarship payments; and
(2) By December 2025, implement a system of prospective provider payments, through which child care providers shall receive scholarship program payments in advance of or at the beginning of each payment period. If a provider begins providing care to a child in the middle of a service period, the department may delay the first payment until the start of the next service period.
(t) Child care scholarship presumptive eligibility pilot program.
(1) The department shall develop and implement a presumptive eligibility pilot program, whereby applicants who meet threshold screening requirements established by the department will receive the benefit of child care scholarship funds while the application process is underway, from the date of the initial screening until the earliest of:
(A) 60 days after the initial screening;
(B) The date on which a final eligibility determination is made; or
(C) The expiration of a submission period, the length of which shall be identified by the department, if the applicant fails to submit the required information or documentation to establish eligibility during this period. The department shall provide both the applicant and the child care provider at least 10 days notice, and shall supply the applicant a list of the verification documents still required to determine eligibility, before terminating the presumptive eligibility period on this basis.
(2) Except in cases of fraud or intentional violation of program rules, no child care provider and no scholarship applicant shall held be responsible for the costs of care paid from scholarship funds during such period of presumptive eligibility, even if the child is ultimately determined ineligible for scholarship funds.
(3) The department shall establish criteria and parameters as needed to implement the program.
(4) The duration of this pilot program shall be 24 months, beginning January 1, 2026.
(5) On or before May 1, 2028, the department shall provide a detailed report of the presumptive eligibility pilot program to the house health and human services oversight committee and senate health and human services committee of the general court. The report shall include the following information:
(A) Information regarding family and provider interest and utilization of the program during the pilot period;
(B) Information regarding the costs and benefits of the program as implemented, and any suggestions for improvements;
(C) Funding levels necessary to sustain the program going forward; and
(D) Any other relevant information regarding the program.
(u) Child care scholarship application processes study. Such rules shall direct the department, by May 1, 2026, to evaluate information regarding challenges in the application process and make a plan for the implementation of improvements such as a fast-track application or other appropriate measures, to ensure that child care scholarship applicants do not face unnecessary burdens in the eligibility determination process and are not directed to submit information or documents that are not necessary for determination of child care scholarship program eligibility, except when an applicant has expressly opted to be considered for other assistance programs.
(v) District office staff training. The department of health and human services shall develop and engage in training of all district office staff regarding changes to the child care scholarship program.
3 Prospective Repeal. RSA 167:83, II(t), related to the child care scholarship presumptive eligibility pilot program, is repealed.
4 Effective Date.
I. Section 3 of this act shall take effect May 2, 2028.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect July 1, 2025.