An Act to Support and
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1414
Committee Amendment CA_A_S518 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/^ » to S.P. 554, L.D. 1414, "An Act to Support and
Sustain Maine's Child Care Workforce"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'Resolve, to Improve the Availability of Child Care by Increasing Certain
Reimbursements Under the Maine Child Care Affordability Program and
Establishing a Grant Program to Facilitate Off-hours Care'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following;
'See. 1. Reimbursement for child care of infants and toddlers under Maine
Child Care Affordability Program. Resolved: That, no later than January 1,2027,
the Department of Health and Human Services shall increase the rates of reimbursement
for the care of infants and toddlers paid to providers under the Maine Child Care
Affordability Program established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section
3731-A. The resulting reimbursement rates for care of infants and toddlers must be 20%
higher than the reimbursement rates paid to child care centers and family child care
providers for the care of children 36 months of age or older.
Sec. 2. Grant program for child care providers providing off-hours care.
Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall develop a grant
program, including the criteria and process for applications, awards and oversight and any
other relevant requirements, to facilitate the availability of child care from 6:00 p,m. to
6:00 a.m. The grant program must be available no later than January 1, 2027 to accept
applications from directors or owners of child care centers or family child care providers
for funding awards for use in fiscal year 2027-28. The grants must be used by child care
providers to hire experts or consultants or dedicated staff to develop a plan for how a
provider would provide child care services for any portion of time from 6:00 p.m, to 6:00
a.m. A grant awarded pursuant to the grant program- may not exceed $10,000 and is
available to an applicant on a one-time basis. As long as sufficient funding has been
appropriated for the purpose, the total amount for grants awarded in fiscal year 2027-28 is
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
ROS
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "H " to S.P. 554, L.D. 1414 (&<
I up to a total of $500,000. If the funding is expended before June 30,2028, no more grants
may be awarded.
See. 3. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following
appropriations and allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Child Care Services 0563
Initiative; Establishes one Social Services Program Specialist II position to oversee the
grant program. This initiative also provides ftmdmg for the grant up to $500,000, and for
the increased reimbursement rates for the care of infants and toddlers.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 0.000 1.000
Personal Services $0 $118,971
AUOther $0 $2,936,834
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $3,055,805
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill, which
is a concept draft, with a resolve.
The amendment requires the Department of Health and Human Services to increase
reimbursement rates under the Maine Child Care Affordability Program no later than
January 1,2027 so that reimbursement rates paid to child care centers and family child care
providers for the care of infants and toddlers are 20% higher than reimbursement rates for
the care of children 3 6 months of age or older,
The amendment also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to
establish a grant program to facilitate the availability of child care from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00
a.m. The department must establish the grant program so that directors or owners of child
care centers or family child care providers may begin applying no later than January 1,
2027 for funding awards for use in fiscal year 2027-28. The grants must be used by child
care providers to hire experts or consultants or dedicated staff to develop a plan for how a
provider would provide child care services for any portion of time from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00
a.m. A grant may not exceed $ 10,000 and is available to an applicant on a one-time basis.
5 The department is required to develop the grant program, including the criteria and process
for applications, awards and oversight and any other relevant requirements. As long as
sufficient funding has been appropriated for the purpose, the total amount for grants
8 awarded in fiscal year 2027-28 is up to a total of $500,000, but if the funding is expended
before June 30, 2028, no more grants may be awarded.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 02/20/26 1-Ki-
LD 1414 LR 2213(02)
An Act to Support and Sustain Maine's Child Care Workforce
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "^'\
Committee: Health and Human Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Projections Projections
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 FY 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $3,055,805 $3,462,928 $3,466,734
. ..ppropriafions/AIlocations
General Fund $0 $3,055,805 $3,462,928 $3,466,734
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The bill includes a General Fund appropriation to the Department of Health and Human Services of $3,055,805 in
fiscal year 2026-27 to establish one Social Services Program Specialist II Position and cover the cost of increased
reimbursement rates for the care of infants and toddlers.
LR2213(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1