HB2648 • 2026

appropriations; child care assistance

HB2648 - appropriations; child care assistance

Budget Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Sarah Liguori, Anna Abeytia, Cesar Aguilar, Lorena Austin, Junelle Cavero, Janeen Connolly, Oscar De Los Santos, Nancy Gutierrez, Aaron Márquez, Mae Peshlakai, Mariana Sandoval, Stephanie Simacek, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, Betty J Villegas, Kevin Volk
Last action: 2026-01-21
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill has passed both chambers but no effective date is listed in the provided text, so it is unclear when the funding officially begins.

HB2648: Funding for Child Care Assistance

This bill gives $160 million from the state general fund to the Department of Economic Security for child care assistance in fiscal year 2026-2027.

What This Bill Does

Sets aside $160,000,000 from the state general fund.
Sends this money to the Department of Economic Security.
Requires that the funds be used for child care assistance programs.
Applies these rules specifically to fiscal year 2026-2027.
Exempts this specific funding from laws that make unused money expire.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Economic Security

Limits and Unknowns

The source material does not state an effective date when these rules begin to work.
The document does not describe how families will apply for or receive this assistance.

Bill History

2026-01-21 House
House second read
2026-01-20 House
House Rules: None
2026-01-20 House
House Appropriations: None
2026-01-20 House
House Health & Human Services: None
2026-01-20 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2648 - appropriations; child care assistance

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2648 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
appropriations; child care assistance

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2648

Introduced by

Representatives
Liguori: Abeytia, Aguilar, Austin, Cavero, Connolly, De Los Santos,
Gutierrez, M�rquez, Peshlakai, Sandoval, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton, Villegas,
Volk

AN
ACT

appropriating monies to the department of
economic security.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Appropriations;
department of economic security; child care assistance; exemption

A. The sum of $160,000,000
is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to
the department of economic security for child care assistance.

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.