An Act to Increase
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1955
Committee Amendment CA_A_S355 (Senate)
Amends: 22 MRSA §3731-A, 22 MRSA §3740-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A ,, to S.P. 763, L.D. 1955, "An Act to Increase 
Child Care Affordability and Early Childhood Educator Stability" 
Amend the bill by inserting before section 1 the following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3731-A, sub-§3 is enacted to read: 
3. Nonlapsing funds. Any unexpended funds appropriated or allocated by the 
Legislature or accepted by the commissioner for the purposes of the Maine Child Care 
Affordability Program may not lapse and must be carded forward in the same amount for 
the next fiscal year. The commissione1· may accept donations or grants for the Maine Child 
Care Affordability Program from any source.' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in §3731-B in the headnote (page 1, line 3 in L.D.) by 
inserting after the following: 
11Prograrn Child Care" the following: 'Employment' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in §3731-B in the first indented paragraph in the first line 
(page 1, line 4 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "Program Child Care" the 
following: 'Employment' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in §3731-B by inserting after subsection 4 the following: 
15, Nonlapsing funds, Any unexpended funds appropriated or allocated by the 
Legislature or accepted by the commissioner for the purposes of the award may not lapse 
and must be cal'fied forward in the same amount for the next fiscal year. The commissioner 
may accept donations or grants for the award from any source.' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in §373'7-B by striking out all of subsection 2 (page 2, lines 
to 10 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'2. Report. Beginning on January 15. 2026, and annually thereafter, the department 
shall include in its annual rep01t pursuant to section 3740-A the number of child care 
professionals pa11icipating in the program, expenditures under the program and a 
description of pl'Ogress in implementing the tiered system required under subsection 4.' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in §3737-B by inserting after subsection 4 the following: 
Page I - 132LR.2206(02) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITI'EE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 763, L.D. 1955 ( $-~ 
'5. Nonlapsiru! funds. Any unexpended funds appropriated or allocated by the 
Legislature or accepted by the commissioner for the purposes of the program may not lapse 
and must be carded forward in the same amount for the next fiscal year. The commissioner 
may accept donations or grants for the program from any source. 
Amend the bill in section 4 in §3737-C by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 3, lines 
to 6 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
13, Nonlapsing funds. Any unexpended funds appropriated or allocated by the 
Legislattll'e or accepted by. the commissioner for the purposes of child care provider 
scholarships and apprenticeships may not lapse and must be carried forward in the same 
amount for the next fiscal year. The commissioner may accept donations or grants for the 
progrnm from any source.' 
' 
Amend the bill in section 4 in §3737-C by striking out all of the 2nd indented paragraph 
(page 3, lines 7 to 11 in L.D.). 
Amend the bill by inse1ting after section 4 the following: 
1Sec. 5. 22 MRSA §3740-A, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4. Child care professionals; salary. Beginning with the Janua1y 15. 2026 report, 
pm·suant to section 3737-B, subsection 2. the number of child care professionals 
pa1ticipating in the Sala1:y Sustainability Program fol' Child Care Professionals established 
in section 3737-B.
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 7 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 7. Appropriations and allocations, The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Child Care Services 0563 
Initiative: Provides ongoing non lapsing funding for the monthly wage supplement awarded 
to child care workers unde1· the Sala1y Sustainability Progrnm for Child Cate Professionals. 
GENERAL FUND 
2025-26 
2026-27 
All Other 
$500,000 
$500,000 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Child Care Services 0563 
$500,000 
$500,000 
Initiative: Provides ongoing nonlapsing funding to supp01t the child care needs of families 
in the Maine Child Care Affordability Program. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Child Care Services 0563 
2025-26 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
2026-27 
$1,000,000 
Initiative: Provides one-time nonlapsing funding for the Maine Child Care Affordability 
Program. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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l 
COMMITfEE AMENDMENT" A-" to S.P, 763, L.D, 1955 l,$-Q55j 
GENERAL FUND 
2025-26 
2026-27 
All Other 
$3,800,000 
$0 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$3,800,000 
$0 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
2025-26 
2026-27 
GENERAL FUND 
$5,300,000 
$1,500,000 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
$5,300,000 
$1,500,000 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment makes the following changes to the bill. 
1. It clarifies that funds to support the programs in the bill a1·e nonlapsing funds. 
2. It changes the name of the Maine Child Care Affordability Program Child Care 
Award to the Maine Child Care Affordability Program Child Care Employment Award. 
3. It requires the repo1t on the number of child care professionals paiticipating in the 
Salary Sustainability Progrnm for Child Care Professionals to be included in the existing 
annual report on child care subsidies beginning with the January 15, 2026 repo11, rather 
than a separnte repo1t. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/28/25 L-R.L-
LD 1955 
LR2206(02) 
An Act to Increase Child Care Affordability and Early Childhood Educator Stability 
--
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by (;ommittee Amendment ''A' {S 555 \ 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
) 
Net Cost (Savings) 
Genernl Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2025-26 
$5,300,000 
$5,300,000 
FY 2026-27 
$1,500,000 
$1,500,000 
Projections 
FY2027-28 
$1,500,000 
$1,500,000 
Projections 
FY2028-29 
$1,500,000 
The bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation to the Depa1tment of Health and Human Services of 
$3,800,000 in fiscal year 2025-26 and ongoing annual General Fund Appropriations of $1,000,000 beginning in fiscal 
year 2025-26 for the Maine Child Care Affordability Progrnm, The bill also includes ongoing annual General Fund 
appropriations to the Depattment of Health and Human Services of $500,000 beginning in fiscal yeat· 2025-26 for the 
Sala1y Sustainability Progrnm for Child Care Prnfessionals. 
Any additional costs to the State Board of Education from the provisions of this bill a1:e expected to be minor and can 
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2206(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I