Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the National Guard Childcare topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House Appropriations panel adopts H‑2 substitutes and hears overview of National Guard childcare benefit
Summary
The House Appropriations Committee unanimously adopted H‑2 substitutes to Senate Bills 540 and 542, then heard testimony outlining a new National Guard childcare assistance program that would allow up to 12 hours of childcare per day for drill weekends and up to 39 days a year; the department estimated roughly 2,000 potential users and said the program is budget‑neutral within existing DMVA funds.
LANSING — The House Appropriations Committee on Friday adopted H‑2 substitutes to two budget implementation bills tied to House Bill 4962 and heard testimony on provisions that would create a National Guard childcare assistance program.
The committee approved the H‑2 substitute to Senate Bill 540 and the H‑2 substitute to Senate Bill 542 by voice/roll call votes after motions from representatives. Both substitutes passed on roll calls recorded as 25 yays, 0 nays, 0 passes. Earlier in the meeting Representative Maddock moved to adopt the minutes from the June 11 meeting; the minutes were approved without objection.
Matt Black, chief of staff to Senator Hertel, told the committee the bills are part of the budget implementation package that expands member benefits under a newly created member benefit fund. "These are budget implementation bills," Black said, and described the main program change in SB 540 as creating a childcare assistance program that would allow childcare to be used during drill weekends and the annual drill.
Black described the benefit’s limits: "The assistance must be provided for up to 12 hours a day" and "for weekends and annual drill for a maximum of 39 days per year." He also said SB 542 would rename the existing fund into a consolidated member benefits fund that would include tuition assistance, the new childcare benefit and a health care fund created through related legislation.
Representative Rogers asked whether the department had any estimate of likely use. Terry Sabo, representing the department, said a recent internal straw poll estimated "approximately 2,000" members could use the benefit.
Representative Green pressed for details on how the assistance would be administered and whether the member would be reimbursed or if providers would need to be licensed. The department responded that policy details are still being developed internally and that the intent is to provide flexibility to accommodate single parents, dual‑military families and informal caregivers such as relatives where licensed child care is scarce on weekends. The department also told the committee that the program is budget‑neutral and that the funds to cover the assistance already exist within the DMVA budget. The department cited Major General Paul Rogers, the adjutant general, as committed to ensuring implementation stays within the existing budget.
The meeting ended after routine business: Representative Mueller moved to excuse absent members; without objection the absent members were excused and the committee adjourned.
Votes at a glance
Adopt H‑2 substitute to Senate Bill 540 (creates National Guard childcare assistance program) — Mover: Representative Beeson; Roll call result: 25 yes, 0 no, 0 pass; outcome: H‑2 adopted.
Adopt H‑2 substitute to Senate Bill 542 (renames/transfers balance into member benefit fund) — Mover: Representative Green; Roll call result: 25 yes, 0 no, 0 pass; outcome: H‑2 adopted.
Adopt minutes from June 11 meeting — Mover: Representative Maddock; result: approved without objection.
