HB 1308

                                                              Introduced Version
            HOUSE BILL No. 1308
                  _____
               DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 12-17.2-7.8.
Synopsis: Indiana bright start program and fund. Establishes the
Indiana bright start program (program) to support the early learning
and child care needs of working families with eligible children.
Provides that the office of the secretary of family and social services
(office) shall develop and implement the program, and may contract
with nonprofit corporations to facilitate the program. Establishes the
Indiana bright start program fund. Requires the office, beginning
October 1, 2027, to annually submit a report to the governor and
legislative council with information concerning the program.
Effective: July 1, 2026.
                                 Burton
January 6, 2026, read first time and referred to Committee on Family, Children and Human
Affairs.
2026  IN 1308—LS 6797/DI 152
                                                                                       Introduced
            Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
 Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
 additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
   Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
 provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
 word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
  Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
 between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
                   HOUSE BILL No. 1308
   A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
 human services.
     Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1    SECTION 1. IC 12-17.2-7.8 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2026]:
4    Chapter 7.8. Indiana Bright Start Program and Fund
5    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "accepted intermediary" refers
6 to a nonprofit corporation that has entered into an agreement with
7 the office to facilitate the Indiana bright start program under
8 section 11 of this chapter.
9    Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "CCDF" refers to the federal
10 Child Care and Development Fund program administered under
11 45 CFR 98 and 45 CFR 99.
12    Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "eligible child" refers to an
13 individual who is:
14(1) less than five (5) years of age on August 1 of the state fiscal
15year for which a grant is sought under the Indiana bright
16start program;
17(2) a resident of Indiana or otherwise has legal settlement in
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1Indiana, as determined under IC 20-26-11; and
2(3) unable to participate in the prekindergarten program (as
3described in IC 12-17.2-7.2-5) or CCDF because the
4individual:
5(A) is a member of a household with an annual income that
6exceeds eligibility limits; or
7(B) has been placed on a wait list.
8    Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "eligible provider" refers to a
9 provider that satisfies the following conditions:
10(1) The provider is:
11(A) a:
12(i) child care center licensed under IC 12-17.2-4;
13(ii) child care home licensed under IC 12-17.2-5; or
14(iii) child care ministry registered under IC 12-17.2-6;
15that meets the standards of quality recognized by a Level
163 or Level 4 paths to QUALITY program rating;
17(B) a public school, including a charter school; or
18(C) a nonpublic school that is accredited by the state board
19of education or a national or regional accreditation agency
20that is recognized by the state board of education.
21(2) The provider:
22(A) provides child care or educational services to an
23eligible child; and
24(B) complies with Indiana bright start program rules
25established by the office.
26    Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, the "Indiana bright start fund"
27 refers to the Indiana bright start fund established by section 10 of
28 this chapter.
29    Sec. 6. As used in this chapter, the "Indiana bright start
30 program" refers to the Indiana bright start program established
31 by section 9 of this chapter.
32    Sec. 7. As used in this chapter, "office" means the office of the
33 secretary of family and social services.
34    Sec. 8. As used in this chapter, "paths to QUALITY program"
35 has the meaning set forth in IC 12-17.2-2-14.2(b).
36    Sec. 9. (a) The Indiana bright start program is established to
37 support the early learning and child care needs of working families
38 with eligible children.
39    (b) The office shall develop and implement the Indiana bright
40 start program. The Indiana bright start program developed by the
41 office shall prioritize grants as follows:
42(1) To provide tuition assistance to an eligible child:
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1(A) less than three (3) years of age on August 1 of the state
2fiscal year for which a grant is sought under the Indiana
3bright start program; and
4(B) who is a member of a family with a household income
5that does not exceed eighty-five percent (85%) of Indiana's
6state median income for the household's family size.
7      (2) To provide tuition assistance to an eligible child:
8(A) between four (4) years of age and five (5) years of age
9on August 1 of the state fiscal year for which a grant is
10sought under the Indiana bright start program; and
11(B) who is a member of a family with a household income
12that does not exceed eighty-five percent (85%) of Indiana's
13state median income for the household's family size.
14      (3) To provide tuition assistance to an eligible child who is a
15      member of a household with an income that exceeds
16      eighty-five percent (85%) of Indiana's state median income
17      for the household's family size.
18      (4) To provide grants to eligible providers located in
19      communities with demonstrated scarcity of child care and
20      prekindergarten programs, as determined by the office, to
21      increase capacity for eligible children and to support quality
22      improvement initiatives aligned with the paths to QUALITY
23      program.
24    Sec. 10. (a) The Indiana bright start fund is established to:
25      (1) provide tuition assistance to eligible children;
26      (2) provide expansion and quality improvement grants to
27      eligible providers; and
28      (3) pay accepted intermediaries for facilitating the Indiana
29      bright start program.
30    (b) The fund consists of:
31      (1) appropriations made by the general assembly;
32      (2) subject to available funding, money available to the office;
33      (3) gifts, grants, donations, or other contributions from public
34      or private sources;
35      (4) any federal grants that are received to capitalize or
36      supplement the fund; and
37      (5) interest deposited in the fund under subsection (e).
38    (c) The office shall administer the fund.
39    (d) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from
40 money in the fund.
41    (e) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
42 currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
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1 manner as other public funds may be invested. Interest that
2 accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund.
3    (f) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not
4 revert to the state general fund.
5    Sec. 11. (a) The office may enter into agreements with nonprofit
6 corporations to facilitate the Indiana bright start program as
7 accepted intermediaries.
8    (b) The office shall disburse funds to an accepted intermediary
9 in a manner determined by the office for the purposes of the
10 Indiana bright start program.
11    Sec. 12. Beginning October 1, 2027, and each October 1
12 thereafter, the office shall:
13      (1) collect and compile information concerning the Indiana
14      bright start program under this chapter; and
15      (2) submit the report described in subdivision (1) to the
16      following:
17(A) The governor.
18(B) The legislative council, in an electronic format under
19IC 5-14-6.
20    Sec. 13. The office may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to
21 implement this chapter.
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