Day Care

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the amount of money available each year or any potential delays.

Grant Program for Child Care

This bill creates a grant program to support nonprofit and faith-based child care programs for children under five years old in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes a grant program run by the governor's office of faith-based and community initiatives to fund child care programs for kids four years old and younger.
• Requires at least one-third of funds given to the office each year to be used as grants for these child care programs.
• Sets rules for who can get grants, including being licensed, in good standing with human services, and charging families based on their income not more than 7% of household income.
• Gives priority to child care programs located in areas where there are not enough child care options for young children.

Who It Names or Affects

• Nonprofit and faith-based child care providers
• Families using these child care services

Terms To Know

Child Care Desert

A census tract where there are more than 50 children under five years old but does not contain a licensed child care agency or has a ratio of at least three children in such age group per licensed child care agency slot.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money will be available each year.
• It is unclear if the program will start on time or face delays.

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the
governor's office of faith-based and community initiatives
to
establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting and funding nonprofit and faith-based child care programs f
or children four and younger.

Subject to appropriations, at least 1/3 of funds appropriated to the office each year must be allocated and disbursed as grants.
In order to
qualify and receive grant funds, a nonprofit or faith-based child care program must
(i) b
e licensed and qualified as a child care agency;

(
ii
)
b
e in good standing with the department of human services; and

(
iii
)
o
perate on an income-based pricing model in which a family is charged not more than 7% of their household income for child care.

This bill requires p
riority for grants
to
be given to applicants located in a child care deser
t, which
means a census tract where there are more than 50 children younger than five and the tract either does not contain a licensed child care agency or ha
s a ratio of at least three children in such age group per licensed child care agency slot.

The executive director of the office
must
oversee the grant application process and program. Not later than March 1 annually, the executive director
must
report t
o the general assembly and the office of legislative budget analysis on the availability of grant funds and the use and recipients of such funds disbursed in accordance with this
bill
.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 631
By Clemmons

SENATE BILL 580
By Akbari

SB0580
002027
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 32; Title 8; Title 9 and Title 71, relative to
the governor's office of faith-based and community
initiatives.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 32, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:
(a) The office shall establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting and
funding nonprofit and faith-based child care programs for children four (4) years of age
and younger.
(b) Subject to appropriations, at least one-third (1/3) of funds appropriated to the
office each year must be allocated and disbursed as grants in accordance with this
section.
(c)
(1) To qualify and receive grant funds, a nonprofit or faith-based child
care program must:
(A) Be licensed and qualified in accordance with title 71, chapter
3, part 5, as a child care agency;
(B) Be in good standing with the department of human services;
and
(C) Operate on an income-based pricing model in which a family
is charged not more than seven percent (7%) of their household income
for child care.

- 2 - 002027

(2) Priority for grants must be given to applicants located in a child care
desert. For purposes of this subdivision (c)(2), "child care desert" means a
census tract where there are more than fifty (50) children younger than five (5)
years of age and the tract either does not contain a licensed child care agency or
has a ratio of at least three (3) children in such age group per licensed child care
agency slot.
(d) The executive director of the office shall oversee the grant application
process and program. Not later than March 1 annually, the executive director shall
report to the general assembly and the office of legislative budget analysis on the
availability of grant funds and the use and recipients of such funds disbursed in
accordance with this section.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.