Establish Child Care Cred Program

HB 610 creates the Child Care Cred Program, a state initiative designed to help employees, employers, and licensed child care providers share the costs of childcare equally. To join the program, an employee must live in the state, their employer must be located there, and the childcare provider must be properly licensed or certified. Once eligible parties apply and are approved, they work together to select a provider, sign an agreement with the state department, and begin paying their respective shares of the bills. The state department will manage the administrative tasks and payments, while employers have the option to cover part or all of the employee's portion of the cost. This legislation also includes funding for the program's operations and establishes rules to prevent fraud or misrepresentation by participants.