Provide best beginnings scholarships to child care workers

Child-care workers employed at licensed day-care centers or registered family or group day-care homes are now eligible for scholarships if they meet specific hour and income requirements.

Eligibility for child-care workers requires employment for at least the minimum number of hours established by federal regulations (45 CFR 98.16(g)) and a household income less than two times the state median income.

An appropriation of $5.5 million per year from the general fund is established to provide scholarships to eligible child-care workers.

The effective date for the act is set to July 1, 2025.

Removed blank lines and reorganized text formatting without altering any substantive policy, funding amounts, or eligibility requirements.

Added a specific income requirement stating that eligible child-care workers must have a household income less than two times the state median income.

Restructured the eligibility text to clearly list two distinct conditions: employment at a licensed facility and meeting the income threshold.

Renumbered the bill from HB 456.1 to HB 456.2 and adjusted page headers and formatting.

The bill identifier was changed from LC 1787 to HB 456, and the footer was updated to reflect the new bill number.

The list of bill sponsors was expanded to include J. Seckinger, B. Close, P. Elverum, S. Fyant, J. Weber, A. Griffith, M. Cunningham, D. Baum, B. Carter, J. Cohenour, C. Keogh, and E. Stafman.