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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
SECOND REGULAR SESSION-2026
Legislative Document No. 2066
S.P. 855 In Senate, December 17, 2025
An Act to Establish the Child Care Employment Award
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule
203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 15, 2025. Referred to the Committee
on Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator INGWERSEN of York.
Cosponsored by Senators: BENNETT of Oxford, President DAUGHTRY of Cumberland,
MOORE of Washington, NANGLE of Cumberland, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin,
Representative: Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford.
Page 1 - 132LR2763(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3731-B is enacted to read:
3§3731-B. Child Care Employment Award
4 The Child Care Employment Award is established in the department in order to provide
5 child care subsidies to recipients who are employed by child care facilities or family child
6 care providers licensed pursuant to section 8301-A and whose children are receiving care
7 from such licensed child care facilities or licensed family child care providers. Subsidy
8 awards must be provided directly to the child care facility or family child care provider.
9 The department may adopt rules regarding subsidy award amounts, waiting list
10 management, quality standards and limitations on the number of children supported. Rules
11 adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375,
12 subchapter 2-A.
13Sec. 2. Child Care Employment Award staffing. The Department of Health
14 and Human Services shall establish a full-time, permanent staff position in the Office of
15 Child and Family Services to administer the Child Care Employment Award pursuant to
16 the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3731-B.
17Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
18 allocations are made.
19HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
20Child Care Services 0563
21 Initiative: Provides ongoing funding for the Child Care Employment Award.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $0 $3,000,000
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $3,000,000
22Child Care Services 0563
27 Initiative: Establishes one Social Services Program Specialist II position to administer the
28 Child Care Employment Award and provides funding for related All Other costs.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 0.000 1.000
Personal Services $0 $119,041
All Other $0 $7,256
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $126,297
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HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 2025-26 2026-27
GENERAL FUND $0 $3,126,297
__________ __________
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Page 2 - 132LR2763(01)
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $0 $3,126,297
1SUMMARY
2 This bill establishes the Child Care Employment Award in order to provide child care
3 subsidies to recipients who are employed by licensed child care facilities or family child
4 care providers and whose children are receiving care from such facilities or providers. It
5 provides that subsidy awards must be provided directly to the child care facility or family
6 child care provider. It authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt
7 routine technical rules regarding subsidy award amounts, waiting list management, quality
8 standards and limitations on the number of children supported. It also requires the
9 department to establish a full-time position to administer the award and increases the award
10 program's funding to $3,000,000.
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