AN ACT CONCERNING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE CARE 4 KIDS PROGRAM AND CERTAIN CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.

Children

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Committee on Children
Last action: 2026-03-05
Official status: Favorable Change of Reference, House to Committee on Appropriations
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Bill to Add Money for Child Care Subsidies and Provider Support

This bill moves $70 million in state funds to help children on the waiting list get child care subsidies and gives bonuses to providers in eastern Connecticut.

What This Bill Does

Transfers $70 million from the Federal Cuts Response Fund to the Office of Early Childhood for fiscal year 2026.
Uses up to $65 million to cover costs for children currently on the waiting list for child care subsidies, giving priority to families with other subsidized children and those with special needs.
Allows any leftover money from the subsidy fund to support provider stability, hiring staff, expanding capacity, and improving quality.
Provides up to $5 million in bonuses at the commissioner's discretion for licensed child care providers located in eastern Connecticut that participate in subsidy programs.

Who It Names or Affects

Families with children waiting on a list for subsidized child care
Licensed child care providers operating in eastern Connecticut who participate in subsidy programs
The Office of Early Childhood and the Secretary of Policy and Management

Terms To Know

Care 4 Kids program: A state child care subsidy program for low-income families.
Federal Cuts Response Fund: A special fund established by Special Act 26-1 to manage money related to federal funding changes.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only applies to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
Funds for provider support are available only if there is leftover money after serving children on the waiting list.
It depends on commissioner decisions which specific providers in eastern Connecticut receive bonuses.

Bill History

2026-03-05 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Change of Reference, Senate to Committee on Appropriations
2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Change of Reference, House to Committee on Appropriations
2026-03-04 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-03 KID
Joint Favorable Change of Reference Appropriations
2026-02-20 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/24
2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Children

Official Summary Text

To increase funding to the Care 4 Kids program to assist families in getting children off of the waiting list and to provide additional supports to child care providers in eastern Connecticut.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO 1317 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 265
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1317

Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN

Introduced by:
(KID)

AN ACT CONCERNING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE CARE 4
KIDS PROGRAM AND CERTAIN CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. ( Effective from passage) Notwithstanding the provisions of 1
sections 3 and 4 of special act 26 -1, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2
2026, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall transfer 3
seventy million dollars from the Federal Cuts Response Fund, 4
established pursuant to section 1 of special act 26-1, to the Office of Early 5
Childhood. The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall expend such 6
seventy million dollars as follows: 7
(1) Sixty-five million dollars to (A) supplement the appropriation for 8
the child care subsidy program, established pursuant to section 17b-749 9
of the general statutes, for the purpose of covering children who are 10
currently on the waiting list described in subdivision (10) of subsection 11
(c) of section 17b-749 of the general statutes, with priority given to those 12
children on such waiting list who (i) are from families with other 13
children who are currently covered under the child care subsidy 14
program, and (ii) have special needs, and (B) if there are any 15
Raised Bill No. 265

LCO 1317 2 of 2

unexpended funds after fulfilling the requirement in subparagraph (A) 16
of this subdivision, be used for provider stabilization, workforce 17
recruitment and retention, expanded access to subsidized child care, 18
increased program capacity and quality improvement efforts; and 19
(2) Five million dollars to be disbursed, at the commissioner's 20
discretion, as a bonus to licensed child care providers located in eastern 21
Connecticut that participate in the child care subsidy program, or any 22
other subsidized program for low -income families, for the purpose of 23
addressing regional disparities in provider capacity, workforce 24
shortages and access to child care services, as described in section 19a -25
77 of the general statutes. 26
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage New section

KID Joint Favorable C/R APP