Program established to assist families with the cost of child care.

HF 1383 establishes the "Great Start Affordability Scholarship" program to help low-to-moderate income families pay for child care. It directly affects families with children from birth to kindergarten entry who earn under 150% of Minnesota's median income. The bill requires the program to limit child care costs to no more than 7% of a family's annual income, transitions existing child care assistance into this new system by July 2028, and mandates participating child care providers to meet quality standards through Minnesota's rating system. Families must renew scholarships annually, and providers must use scholarship funds to supplement, not replace, existing federal funding.