An Act To Improve the Delivery of Early Child Care and Education Services
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1383
Committee Amendment CA_A_H464 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 982, L.D. 1383, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Delivery of Early Child Care and Education Services" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 and 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRS A §3737, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2001, c. 394, §1, is repealed 
and the following enacted in its place: 
3. Quality differential. To the extent permitted by federal law, the department shall 
pay a quality differential rate to eligible licensed child care providers for child care 
services funded under the federal Child Care and Development Fund and, as funding 
permits, for other child care services that meet the corresponding standards of the 
department's child care tiered quality rating and improvement system and that qualify 
based on step assignment and certification under the system for a period of time as 
established in rules adopted by the department. The department shall pay a child care 
provider that meets the highest level of standards a quality differential rate of at least 10% 
above standard rates. The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in the last line (page 1, line 29 in L.D.) by inserting after 
the following: "parameters." the following: 'The providers of home visiting and other 
home-based family services participating in the collaborative process shall report on their 
progress to the department by January 1st of each year beginning in 2014. 
The 
department shall report on that progress to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over health and human services matters by February 1st of each year 
beginning in 2014.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 4 to 6 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 4. Head Start funding. State Head Start program funding must be targeted 
to the most at-risk children and families, including those who are affected by drugs or 
involved with the child welfare system, and to children with special needs. State funds 
must be used for Early Head Start program services when possible. Early Head Start 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT·A "to H.P. 982, L.D. 1383 
program funding must be used for center-based services, unless otherwise negotiated with 
the Department of Health and Human Services. The department shall direct all new Head 
Start program funding appropriated for, or allocated for, Head Start program purposes for 
fiscal year 2013-14 and fiscal year 2014-15 above the level of appropriations and 
allocations made in the state budget for fiscal year 2011-12 and fiscal year 2012-13 to the 
Early Head Start program for use by Early Head Start program enrollees. 
Sec. 5. At-risk children. By January 1, 2014, the Child Care Advisory Council 
shall recommend to the Department of Health and Human Services specific changes in 
rules or policies governing child care services that will assist families with child care 
when needed to allow parents to obtain needed health care treatment, including treatment 
for mental illness and substance abuse, to reduce a child's potential exposure to adverse 
childhood experiences and to ameliorate the consequences to the child of exposure to 
adverse childhood experiences. The department shall adopt rules by April 30,2014 that 
improve child care services for children, taking into consideration the recommendations 
of the Child Care Advisory Council. The timing of rulemaking may be modified to the 
extent necessary to meet federal Child Care and Development Fund state plan 
modification requirements. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical 
rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 6. Child Care Advisory Council report. 
The Child Care Advisory 
Council shall include in its 2014 annual report pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 22, section 3739 the recommendations to the Department of Health and Human 
Services pursuant to section 4. The report must also provide an update on the funding 
and use of the early childhood professional development registry.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment makes a number of changes to the bill. 
1. 
It removes all references to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 
program from the bill. 
2. It removes the section that would have required the Department of Health and 
Human Services to amend its rules regarding child care rates. 
3. It requires, in the provision regarding home visiting services collaboration, the 
providers of home visiting and other home-based family services that receive funding 
from the department to report annually to the department and requires the department to 
report to the j oint standing committee of the Legislature with jurisdiction over health and 
human services matters. 
4. 
It replaces the section that would have directed all new Head Start program 
funding to the Early Head Start program with a requirement for state Head Start program 
funding to be targeted to the most at-risk children and families. Early Head Start program 
funding must be used for center-based services except when otherwise negotiated by the 
department. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT'A"to H.P. 982, L.D. 1383 
5. It replaces the section that would have required the Child Care Advisory Council 
to develop a definition of "at-risk child." 
Instead, the council is required to make 
recommendations to the department regarding specific changes in rules or policies 
governing child care services. 
The department is required to take into account the 
recommendations during its rule-making process. 
6. It requires the Child Care Advisory Council to include in its 2014 annual report 
the recommendations made to the department regarding child care services rules or 
policies, as well as an update on the funding and use of the early childhood professional 
development registry. It removes the requirement for the department to adopt rules 
regarding the registry. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/09/13 ;t?'ac:... 
LD 1383 
LR636(02) 
An Act To Improve the Delivery of Early Child Care and Education Services 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A' (1-1-% if') 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
II 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Federal Block Grant Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2013-14 
$6,600,000 
$6,600,000 
$3,000,000 
FY 2014-15 
$8,900,000 
$8,900,000 
$3,000,000 
Projections 
FY 2015-16 
$8,900,000 
$8,900,000 
$3,000,000 
Projections 
FY 2016-17 
$8,900,000 
$8,900,000 
$3,000,000 
The bill provides appropriations of $6,600,000 in fiscal year 2013-14 and $8,900,000 in fiscal year 2014-15 for the 
Child Care Services and Head Start programs and for home visiting services in the Department of Health and Human 
Services. 
LR0636(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1