Keeping Law SimpleLegislation, clearly explained
Back to Alaska
Alaska2026Enacted

SB95

Alaska Child Care Assistance and Grant Program Updates

Last scannedSep 20, 2026, 12:32 AM

In one sentence

This law updates Alaska's child care programs by changing the program name, setting income limits for families, requiring electronic applications with fraud warnings, allowing contractors to keep a portion of funds for costs, and giving officials power to investigate records.

What it does

  • Updates official laws to change references from 'day care' assistance to 'child care' assistance in the program name.
  • Sets a rule that family monthly income must be at or below 105% of the state median household income, adjusted for family size, to qualify for help unless exempt.
  • Requires the department to create an electronic application system and warn users that lying on forms is punishable by law.
  • Allows program contractors to keep either $1,000 or 12 percent of their funds, whichever amount is larger, to cover administrative costs.
  • Gives state officials the power to issue subpoenas to get records needed for investigations into child care and other assistance programs.

Who it affects

  • Families with low or moderate incomes who apply for child care benefits in Alaska.
  • Child care providers and contractors that receive funds from the state program.
  • State department officials responsible for managing public assistance records and investigations.

Limits and unknowns

  • The text does not list specific dollar amounts for child care payments or how many families will receive aid.
  • The law requires creating incentives for employers but does not explain exactly what those financial rewards look like.
  • The final effective date is listed as conditional and satisfied in March 2026, so the exact start time depends on that condition.

Plain language

Terms to know

Subpoena
A legal order issued by a commissioner or designee to force someone to produce documents or records needed for an investigation.
Median monthly household income
The middle value of all family incomes in the state, used as a standard to measure if a family earns too much to qualify for help.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

Official summary

CHILD CARE: ASSISTANCE/GRANTS An Act relating to the child care assistance program and the child care grant program; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) CONDITIONAL EFFECT SATISFIED, MEMO RECEIVED 3/11/261817
  2. (H) FN2: (CC:HB53/DOH)1433
  3. (H) FN(S) ATTACHED TO APPROP. BILL HB 531433
  4. (H) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/30/251433
  5. (S) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/30/251455
  6. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER1400
  7. (S) SIGNED INTO LAW 6/24 CHAPTER 14 SLA 251400
  8. (S) MANIFEST ERROR(S)1387
  9. (S) 10:30 A.M. 6/20/25 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR1387
  10. (H) VERSION: SB 951264
  11. (H) RETURN TO (S), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT1264
  12. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE1264
  13. (H) PASSED Y27 N12 E11263
  14. (H) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 951263
  15. (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/17 CALENDAR1237
  16. (H) READ THE SECOND TIME1237
  17. (H) HELD TO 5/16 CALENDAR1202
  18. (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/14/20251202
  19. (H) FN1: (DOH)1190
  20. (H) NR: BYNUM, STAPP, TOMASZEWSKI, ALLARD1190