child care workforce; scholarship program

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not define how the department will select recipients beyond first-come, first-served once funds are received.

HB2626: Child Care Workforce Scholarship Program

This bill creates a scholarship program for child care workers and school staff who earn less than 85% of the state median income, paying providers directly.

What This Bill Does

• Adds section 46-812 to Arizona Revised Statutes to create the Child Care Workforce Scholarship Program.
• Sets aside $200 million from the state general fund for fiscal year 2026–2027 to pay for scholarships.
• Requires that scholarship funds be paid directly by the department to child care providers, not given as cash to individuals.
• States that money will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis when received.

Who It Names or Affects

• Teachers, educators, assistants, and support staff at child care centers contracted by the Department of Economic Security.
• District employees working in preschool programs within school districts.
• District employees working in kindergarten programs within school districts.
• District employees working in grades one through twelve within school districts.

Terms To Know

Department-contracted child care provider

A child care center that has an official agreement with the Department of Economic Security.

State median income

The middle point of all incomes in Arizona, used here to determine if a worker earns less than 85% of that amount.

Limits and Unknowns

• Scholarships are available only while the $200 million fund lasts and follow a first-come, first-served rule.
• The bill does not specify how many people will receive scholarships or what happens if more applicants qualify than there is money for.

Official Summary Text

HB2626 - child care workforce; scholarship program

Current Bill Text

HB2626 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
child care workforce; scholarship program

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2626

Introduced by

Representatives
Austin: Abeytia, Aguilar, Cavero, Crews, Garcia, Gutierrez, Liguori,
Villegas, Volk

AN
ACT

amending title 46, chapter 7, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 46-812; appropriating monies;
relating to child care services.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 46, chapter 7, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 46-812, to read:

START_STATUTE
46-812.

Child care workforce scholarship program

A. The department shall Establish a
child care workforce scholarship program to provide a scholarship to an INDIVIDUAL
who is BELOW eighty-five percent of the state median income and who is
any of the following:

1. a teacher, educator,
assistant or support staff of a department-contracted child care
provider.

2. a district employee of a preschool
program.

3. a district employee of a
kindergarten program.

4. a district employee of any of
grades one through twelve.

B. A person who is selected to
receive a scholarship under this section shall use the monies only for
department-contracted child care providers and the department shall pay
the department-contracted child care providers directly.

C. The department shall disperse
monies when the department receives the monies on a first-come, first-served
basis.

END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Appropriation;
department of economic security; child care workforce scholarship program;
exemption

A. The sum of $200,000,000
is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to
the department of economic security for the child care workforce scholarship
program established pursuant to section 46-812, Arizona Revised Statutes,
as added by this act.

B. The appropriation made
in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190,
Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.