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Child‑care providers urge legislature to restore $15 million workforce grants as DHS seeks federal clarity
Summary
Supporters of HB1566 told lawmakers that a $15 million child‑care workforce incentive program is crucial to retain staff; DHS said ACF denied additional TANF transfers absent a statutory TANF purpose, and providers urged either federal approval or state funding to continue grants.
Representative Mary Jane Walner introduced House Bill 1566, which would clarify the use of federal TANF funds and keep alive a prior $15 million workforce grant program for child‑care recruitment and retention. “Without this program, it will be very difficult for our child‑care community to continue to recruit and retain the child‑care workforce,” Walner said.
Department response: Brian Clark and Jonathan Spreeman of the Bureau of Child Development told the committee the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) ruled that additional TANF transfers require identification of one of TANF’s four statutory purposes; DHS has already transferred a portion (30%) into CCDF where allowed but was denied broader authority without a clear statutory TANF purpose.
Provider testimony: Early Learning New Hampshire, YMCA providers, Marramac Valley Daycare, and other center leaders described acute staffing shortages and high turnover. Jackie Cowell said providers would like to keep the $15 million in play “while we look to see if there are any general funds at the same time,” and cited data that unused licensed capacity across the state has left classrooms empty. Marramac Valley Daycare leaders said workforce grants helped retain staff and avoid closing classrooms.
Fiscal points and related bill: Testimony cited a prior appropriation contingent on DHHS seeking ACF approval; HB1515 (a separate bill) would remove statutory language requiring DHHS to include childcare workforce funding in its biennial budget request to avoid an unintended obligation of general funds. Proponents argued HB1566 and HB1515 are complementary: one preserves the program, the other avoids forcing the department to request funding it cannot secure from federal sources.
Next steps: Committee heard broad support from providers and advocacy groups and received DHS technical testimony explaining ACF’s response; no final recorded roll‑call on HB1566 appears in the transcript.
