MontanaEndowment and renewal fee would fund Montana early childhood programs
The proposal would fund early childhood grants through a $150 million endowment and a fee on certain child-care facilities renewing expired licenses.
What it does
The proposed board could award grants for child-care workers, safer and better care, family affordability, early learning, and emergency help for affected facilities.
The proposal would transfer $150 million into a permanent early childhood endowment, with its investment earnings supporting grants.
A child-care facility that kept operating after its license or registration expired would pay a $25 fee to renew it.
Argument forIf grants are funded, child-care organizations could use them for worker training, safer facilities, and help for families facing sudden hardship.
Argument againstBecause only investment earnings could be spent, the endowment may leave less money available for grants and administration in a given year.
More detail
The proposed board would award grants for early childhood programs and services. Eligible work would be carried out by nonprofit or public community-based education or service organizations, or early childhood coalitions. The board would set funding priorities using the state’s early childhood plan and fiscal analysis, set grant criteria, and monitor and evaluate funded work. Account money could pay program and administrative costs, but could support only the listed programs and grants. The board would report each year by September 1 on funded services and activities.
The state would transfer $150 million from the general fund to a permanent early childhood endowment. The endowment could also receive appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, and other money. The endowment would not be subject to appropriation. Only its investment earnings would be available for board spending, transferred quarterly to the state special revenue account. The transfer would be due by August 1, 2025, and earnings would move to the account quarterly.
The department would charge a $25 renewal fee in a specified case. The fee would apply to facilities renewing a lapsed license or registration certificate. The fee would apply when a facility let its license or registration expire while it continued operating as a day-care center, family day-care home, or group day-care home. The fee would go to the state special revenue account for the proposed programs. The proposal says the act would take effect upon passage and approval.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Died
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- May 23(H) Died in CommitteeDied
- Apr 17(H) Tabled in Committee - (H) Human ServicesMinor
- Vote recorded to_table. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 7(H) Hearing - (H) Human Services
- Apr 7(H) 1st Reading
- Apr 7(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Human ServicesMinor
- Apr 5(S) Transmitted to House
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded do_pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 5(S) 3rd Reading
- Apr 5(S) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Apr 5(S) Committee Report - (S) Finance and Claims
- Apr 5(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Finance and Claims
- Apr 5(S) Hearing - (S) Finance and Claims
- Apr 5(S) Fiscal Note Printed
- Apr 5(S) Hearing - (S) Finance and Claims
- Apr 5(S) Rereferred to Committee - (S) Finance and ClaimsMinor
- Apr 5(S) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 4(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 4(S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- Apr 4(S) Fiscal Note ReceivedMinor
- Apr 3(S) Take from Committee; Place on 2nd Reading - (S) Public Health, Welfare and SafetyMinor
- Vote recorded Take SB 565 from Comm-Smith. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded to_table. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 3(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and SafetyMinor
- Apr 2(S) Hearing - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- Apr 1(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and SafetyMinor
- Apr 1(S) 1st Reading
- Apr 1(S) Fiscal Note Requested
- Mar 31(S) Introduced
- Mar 31(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- Mar 31(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- Mar 31(LC) Draft in Assembly
- Mar 30(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- Mar 30(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- Mar 26(LC) Draft in Edit
- Mar 25(LC) Draft in Legal Review
- Feb 15(LC) Draft Taken Off Hold
- 2024
- Nov 11(LC) Drafter AssignedIntroduced
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