child care; grant program; fund

HB 2239 establishes Arizona's Child Care Grant Program and a dedicated Child Care Infrastructure Fund to address statewide child care shortages. The bill provides grants to eligible applicants - including child care facilities, providers, and those seeking to open licensed operations - for services like underserved community care, nonstandard-hour care, infant/toddler care, and care for children with disabilities. It funds specific infrastructure improvements such as facility expansions, property acquisitions, renovations, provider training, licensing support, and start-up costs through the newly created fund. The program aims to increase affordable, accessible child care capacity, particularly in rural and low-income areas, as highlighted in the legislature's findings on underfunded early childhood services.