DES; child care; pilot program

SB1224 - DES; child care; pilot program

Children Labor

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Brian Fernandez
Last action: 2026-01-21
Official status: Senate second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific start dates or duration for the program.

Child Care Help Program

This bill establishes a child care pilot program called 'Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program' that helps workers pay for child care by sharing costs with employers and the state through grants.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a new child care help program called 'Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program'.
Designates three regional administrator hubs in Arizona to run this program, ensuring geographic diversity including at least one rural county.
Requires workers who want help with child care costs to pay part of the cost, their employer to also pay a share, and the state to give money through grants.
Sets rules for eligibility: people must work for an employer participating in the program, have income within specified limits, and not be receiving other government assistance for child care.
Requires the Department of Economic Security to submit a report by December 31, 2028, on the effectiveness of the program.

Who It Names or Affects

Workers who need help paying for child care.
Employers participating in the program and helping their workers with child care costs.
The Department of Economic Security which will manage the program.

Terms To Know

Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program: A new program that helps workers pay for child care by sharing costs among workers, employers, and the state through grants.
Department of Economic Security (DES): The Arizona government agency responsible for running the Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify when exactly the program will start or how long it will last.
Does not address what happens if there is not enough money in the state budget to fund the program fully.

Bill History

2026-01-21 Senate
Senate second read
2026-01-20 Senate
Senate Rules: None
2026-01-20 Senate
Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology: None
2026-01-20 Senate
Senate Health and Human Services: None
2026-01-20 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1224 - DES; child care; pilot program

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1224 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
DES; child care; pilot program

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1224

Introduced by

Senator
Fernandez

AN
ACT

Establishing the tri-share child care
pilot program; appropriating monies.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Tri-share
child care pilot program; delayed repeal

A. The tri-share
child care pilot program is established within the department of economic
security to assist qualifying employees with child care costs and increase
access to affordable child care.

B. The department of
economic security shall designate three regional administrator hubs in this
state to administer the tri-share child care pilot program.� The regional
administrator hubs shall be located in different counties to ensure geographic
diversity, including at least one rural county.

C. The tri-share
child care pilot program shall operate on a cost sharing model in which the
costs of child care are shared equally among the following:

1. The participating
employees.

2. The participating
employers.

3. This state through grant
monies that are distributed to the regional administrator hubs.

D. To be eligible for the
tri-share child care pilot program, an employee:

1. Shall be employed by a
participating employer.

2. Shall have a household
income that is between one hundred sixty-five percent and three hundred
twenty-five percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

3. May not be eligible for
any other state or federal child care subsidy program.

E. On or before December
31, 2028, the department of economic security shall submit a report to the
governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
representatives regarding the tri-share child care pilot program's
effectiveness, including data on employee retention and the number of children
served.

F. This section is repealed
from and after __________.

Sec. 2.
Appropriation;
tri-share child care pilot program; exemption

A. The sum of $10,000,000
is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
department of economic security for the purposes of establishing and
administering the tri-share child care pilot program.

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.