Read the full stored bill text
SB 483-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2044
05/08
SENATE BILL
483-FN-A
AN ACT
making a contingent appropriation to the department of health and human services for recruitment and benefit grants for child care employers.
SPONSORS: Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Long, Dist 20; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Rep. Wallner, Merr. 19; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 11; Rep. Sorensen, Rock. 28; Rep. Nagel, Belk. 6; Rep. Gregg, Hills. 7
COMMITTEE: Finance
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANALYSIS
This bill makes a contingent appropriation to the department of health and human services for recruitment and benefit grants for child care employers if the federal government denies the use of TANF reserve funds for such purpose.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2044
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
making a contingent appropriation to the department of health and human services for recruitment and benefit grants for child care employers.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Department of Health and Human Services; Recruitment and Benefit Grants for Child Care Employers; Contingent Appropriation. Amend 2025, 141:431, I to read as follows:
I. The sums of $7,500,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 and $7,500,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027 are hereby appropriated from federal TANF reserve funds to the department of health and human services for the purpose of financing recruitment and retention bonus and benefit grants for New Hampshire child care employers.
?
The appropriation is contingent upon the department seeking formal approval from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to use the funds for the purposes specified in this section. If necessary, and if a waiver process is available, the department of health and human services shall seek a waiver to use the funds for these purposes. The department shall make the initial request no later than August 1, 2025, and upon receiving a determination, shall notify the fiscal committee of the general court of the decision received.
If by July 1, 2026, the federal government has either failed to make a determination or has denied the use of federal TANF reserve funds for the purposes specified in this paragraph, the sum of $15,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, shall be appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of financing recruitment and benefit grants for New Hampshire child care employers. Said sum shall be nonlapsing, and the governor is authorized to draw a warrant out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
LBA
26-2044
11/18/25
SB 483-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT
making a contingent appropriation to the department of health and human services for recruitment and benefit grants for child care employers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This bill does not authorize new positions.
Estimated State Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Revenue Fund(s)
None
Expenditures*
$0
$15 million
$0
$0
Funding Source(s)
General Fund
Appropriations*
$0
$15 million
$0
$0
Funding Source(s)
General Fund
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill
METHODOLOGY:
This bill provides general funds to the Department of Health and Human Services in the event that federal funds may not be used to finance recruitment retention bonus and benefit grants for New Hampshire child care employers. Chapter 141:431, Laws of 2025 (the FY26/27 budget trailer bill) appropriated $7.5 million of federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) reserve funds in each year of the biennium for this purpose. During the budget process, the Department testified that this use of TANF funds would likely be deemed unallowable by the federal government. For this reason, the trailer bill required the Department to seek federal authorization for this use of the funds, and directed the Department to request a federal waiver if available. The current bill contains a nonlapsing general fund appropriation of $15 million in FY2027 in the event that, by July 1, 2026, the federal government has either failed to make a determination or has denied this use of federal TANF reserve funds. Based on its correspondence with the federal Administration for Children and Families, the Department has concluded that federal TANF reserve funds may not be used for the specified purposes. Therefore, this fiscal note assumes that the general fund appropriation will be made upon the bill's effective date of July 1, 2026.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services