Sponsors (4)
The bill reduces out-of-pocket child-care costs and expands access to licensed providers for eligible families by sharing costs between parents, employers, and states, but its reach is limited by funding and state caps, excludes some low-income recipients, and imposes administrative, privacy, and fiscal costs.
Parents of eligible children will pay lower out-of-pocket child-care costs because costs are shared among parents, employers, and the State under approved programs.
Eligible children will have increased access to licensed child care that meets health and safety standards through state-run employer-participation programs.
Employers (including participating small businesses) can improve recruitment and retention by contributing to employee child-care costs through the program.
Low-income families and children in high-need States or areas may be left without assistance because per-State caps ($20M), admin limits, and overall fund limits could leave unmet demand.
Small employers and participating state agencies may face administrative burdens and matching/contribution requirements, potentially straining small businesses and state capacity.
Families already receiving CCDBG assistance are excluded from this program, leaving some low-income families without access and adding eligibility complexity.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive pilot to let States run "tri-share" child care programs where parents, employers, and State lead agencies split eligible child care costs, with a federal matching payment subject to caps.
Introduced November 25, 2025 by Hillary Scholten · Last progress November 25, 2025
Creates a competitive federal pilot program that helps states set up a “tri-share” child care model in which eligible child care costs are paid jointly by parents, participating employers, and a State lead agency. The federal government provides a quarterly payment to approved States equal to the State’s historical FMAP (as of Sept. 30, 1995) of amounts the lead agency pays for care or program administration, subject to a 10% admin cap, a $20 million per-State cap, and overall availability of funds.