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Committee hears broad support for child care infrastructure grants to expand slots and support workforce
Summary
House Bill 945 would create a Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program to help startup and expand childcare businesses; proponents argued it will address childcare deserts and workforce participation, while agencies flagged federal restrictions on capital funding.
Representative Katie Sullivan introduced HB945 to create an Early Childhood Education and Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program aimed at reducing childcare deserts and expanding licensed capacity statewide. Sullivan and proponents argued that capital access is a major barrier for childcare entrepreneurs and that state grants could enable renovations, code-compliance work and modest expansions that increase slots for infants and toddlers.
Todd O'Hair (Montana Chamber of Commerce), Caitlin Jensen (0 to 5 Montana) and Grace Decker (Montana Advocates for Children Coalition) supported the bill, stressing the link between childcare access and workforce participation. They recommended program tweaks: expand eligibility beyond nonprofit entities and reconsider the 1:1 match requirement for grants over $50,000 to avoid excluding small providers. Several providers (Rachel Rader) described how relatively small one-time grants could unlock expansion in rural communities.
Agency officials (Mandy Rambo at Commerce and Tracy Moseman at DPHHS) said Commerce would house the program, DPHHS would provide training and technical assistance, and cautioned about federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) rules that typically prohibit capital projects; the witnesses said ARPA had been used for some capital grants but the regular federal funding streams generally do not allow capital improvements.
Outcome: Committee closed the hearing; bill was not voted in executive action during this meeting and remains in committee for possible amendment and further discussion.
