Cost of child care assistance for families program establishment and appropriation

SF 2759 establishes the "Great Start Affordability Scholarship" program to help Minnesota families with children from birth to kindergarten pay for child care. It provides scholarships to families earning under 150% of the state median income, capping child care costs at no more than 7% of their annual income. The program requires participating child care providers to meet quality standards and use scholarship funds to supplement, not replace, existing federal funding. It mandates transitioning eligible families from current child care assistance programs to this new system by July 1, 2028. The bill also requires the commissioner to create local input processes and develop funding mechanisms based on community needs.