Lawmakers consider creating trust‑land program to fund childcare access in deserts and overburdened communities

Representative Christine Reeves told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that House Bill 1593 would create a new trust‑land concept to generate long‑term revenue for childcare access and to address childcare deserts and overburdened communities.

Under the bill’s framework presented to the committee, DNR would be authorized to acquire and manage lands in trust for the benefit of families lacking childcare access; those lands would need to meet criteria including being at risk of conversion to non‑forested uses and suitable for commercial forestry. Revenues from activities on those trust lands would be deposited in a new account after deduction of the DNR management fee. Subject to appropriation, the Department of Commerce would establish a grant program…