HLS 19RS-530 REENGROSSED
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 395
BY REPRESENTATIVES STEVE CARTER, BAGNERIS, BILLIOT, TERRY BROWN,
CARMODY, CARPENTER, COX, DUPLESSIS, GLOVER, JIMMY HARRIS,
HILFERTY, HILL, HOFFMANN, JACKSON, JAMES, JEFFERSON, JENKINS,
JORDAN, LEBAS, LEGER, LYONS, MARCELLE, MOORE, NORTON, SMITH,
STAGNI, STOKES, AND THOMAS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
FUNDS/FUNDING: Provides relative to a special fund for the purpose of funding early
childhood education
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:407.30(D) and (E), relative to funding for early childhood
3 education; to provide relative to the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund; to
4 provide relative to the use of money in the fund; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:407.30(D) and (E) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
7follows:
8 ยง407.30. Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund
9 * * *
10 D.(1) The fund shall be administered by the State Board of Elementary and
11 Secondary Education. Monies in the fund shall be awarded annually to local entities
12 approved by the board for the purpose of funding projects that will expand the
13 number of early childhood care and education slots through the Child Care
14 Assistance Program in Type III early learning centers that have at least one
15 classroom with children age fifteen months or younger if a local entity provides
16 funds from nonstate and nonfederal sources. No such award shall be made unless
17 the local entity's financial commitment to the project proposed for funding provides
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1 matching funds from nonstate and nonfederal sources at a rate of at least two to one
2 one-to-one.
3 (2) If there is money in the fund after the board has funded every qualifying
4 project pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the board may award remaining
5 unallocated monies in the fund for the exclusive use of Type III early learning
6 centers to provide quality care for children who are ages birth through two and
7 whose parents are eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program. The board shall
8 consider the following in selecting the recipients of such an award: the Child Care
9 Assistance Program waitlist, child poverty rates, child care needs in terms of the
10 economic development needs of the parish where the center is located, and
11 increasing the availability of high quality early learning centers statewide.
12 E. If a local entity provides funding for the purpose of providing early
13 childhood care and education, the board may award additional funding in accordance
14 with the Child Care Assistance Program in the jurisdiction of the local entity. Any
15 such award shall not exceed fifty percent of the nonstate funds. Monies from the
16 fund shall not be used to displace, replace, or supplant the amount appropriated to
17 the Child Care Assistance Program.
18 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 395 Reengrossed 2019 Regular Session Steve Carter
Abstract: Provides relative to the authorized use of money in the La. Early Childhood
Education Fund.
Present law establishes the La. Early Childhood Education Fund as a special treasury fund
administered by the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to award
funding to local entities for early childhood care and education through the Child Care
Assistance Program (CCAP). Provides that the fund shall be credited with appropriations,
public or private grants, or donations received by the state or the Dept. of Education for such
purpose except federal funds for the Child Care and Development Fund Program.
Present law requires that monies in the fund be awarded to BESE-approved local entities to
fund early childhood care and education projects through CCAP in Type III early learning
centers that have at least one classroom with children age 15 months or younger. Present
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law requires that the local entity provide matching funds from nonstate sources at a rate of
at least two to one. Proposed law provides that federal funds may not be used as matching
funds and changes the minimum match rate to 1:1. Otherwise retains present law.
Proposed law authorizes BESE, if there is money in the fund after the board has funded
every qualifying project pursuant to present law, to award remaining monies in the fund for
the exclusive use of Type III early learning centers to provide quality care for children who
are eligible for CCAP and who are ages birth through two. Requires BESE to consider the
following in selecting recipients of such an award: the CCAP waitlist, child poverty rates,
child care needs in terms of the economic development needs of the parish where the center
is located, and increasing the availability of high quality early learning centers statewide.
Present law authorizes BESE to award additional funding in accordance with CCAP in a
local entity's jurisdiction. Prohibits the award from exceeding 50% of the nonstate funds.
Proposed law removes present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:407.30(D) and (E))
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