§346-183  Child care grant program special fund; established.  (a)  There is established within the state treasury the child care grant program special fund, to be administered by the department, into which shall be deposited:

     (1)  Donations to the fund;

     (2)  Appropriations made by the legislature to the fund;

     (3)  Revenues regardless of their source; and

     (4)  Earnings on moneys in the fund.

     (b)  The department shall expend moneys in the special fund to award grants to private entities for:

     (1)  The operating costs of new or existing child care facilities;

     (2)  The establishment of new child care facilities;

     (3)  The expansion of existing child care facilities; or

     (4)  Child care accreditation program grants awarded pursuant to section 346-188.

     (c)  Except for child care accreditation program grants awarded pursuant to section 346-188, expenditures from the fund may be made by the department without allotment.

     (d)  Any grant awarded or expenditure of funds for the administration of a grant program pursuant to this section shall be exempt from chapters 103D and 103F.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to effectuate the grant programs.

     (e)  Grants shall be disbursed pursuant to a contract between the department or its designee and the grant recipient, in accordance with the rules adopted pursuant to subsection (d).

     (f)  The department shall submit an annual report to the legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session, on the sources of moneys deposited into the fund and expenditures of moneys in the fund.

     (g)  For the purposes of this section, "grant" means an award of funds to a specified recipient to support the activities of the recipient and permit the community to benefit from those activities. [L 2020, c 46, pt of §7; am L 2022, c 128, §3; am L 2023, c 169, §4]