An Act Regarding Child Care Subsidy Payments and Eligibility
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0573
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: CRAVEN, ABDI, BOYLE, CLOUTIER, LAJOIE, MADIGAN, SHAGOURY, STOVER
Amends: 22 MRSA §3737

Legislative Document
No. 573
H.P. 368
House of Representatives, February 14, 2023
An Act Regarding Child Care Subsidy Payments and Eligibility
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CRAVEN of Lewiston.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ABDI of Lewiston, BOYLE of Gorham, CLOUTIER of 
Lewiston, LAJOIE of Lewiston, MADIGAN of Waterville, SHAGOURY of Hallowell, 
STOVER of Boothbay.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3737, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 412, §1, is amended to 
read:
4.  Child care rates.  The department shall establish payment rates for child care 
services that are up to the 75th percentile of local market rates for the various categories of 
child care services.  The payment rates for child care services for children with special 
needs may be higher than the 75th percentile of local market rates commensurate with the 
costs of providing care.
Sec. 2.  Salary supplement eligibility determinations.  The Department of 
Health and Human Services, in determining the eligibility for early childhood educator 
workforce salary supplements in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, 
section 3737-A, shall develop a process for evaluating and accepting qualified training 
provided and degrees awarded outside of the training network of the entity contracted by 
the department to evaluate early childhood educator workforce salary supplement 
eligibility.
Sec. 3.  Quality child care rating.  The Department of Health and Human Services 
shall direct the entity responsible for determining quality indicators for child care services 
as described in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 4100 to develop a ratings 
system for child care sites based on average performance, rather than on the lowest 
performing indicator.
Sec. 4.  Report.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall report on its 
progress regarding acceptance of outside training, as described in section 2, and the 
development of an updated ratings system, as described in section 3, by January 15, 2024 
to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish payment 
rates for child care services commensurate with the cost of care, rather than based on market 
rates for care. It requires that the department, in determining the eligibility for early 
childhood educator workforce salary supplements, develop a process for evaluating and 
accepting qualified training provided and degrees awarded outside of the training network 
of the entity contracted by the department to evaluate eligibility for such salary 
supplements. It requires that the department direct the entity responsible for determining 
quality indicators for child care services to develop a ratings system for child care sites 
based on average performance, rather than on the lowest performing indicator.