DES; child care; pilot program

SB 1224 establishes the Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program within Arizona's Department of Economic Security to help eligible working parents cover child care costs. The program operates on a cost-sharing model where employees, employers, and the state each pay one-third of child care expenses for qualifying employees earning between 165% and 325% of the federal poverty level who do not receive other child care subsidies. It requires three regional hubs (including at least one in a rural county) to administer the program and allocates $10 million from the state general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027. The Department of Economic Security must report on the program's effectiveness - including employee retention and children served - by December 31, 2028.