(1)Funds provided to the State of Nebraska pursuant to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq., as such act and sections existed on January 1, 2015, shall be used to implement the Quality Child Care Act, except as provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section. (2)The Legislature finds that the reservations and allocations contained in subsections (3) and (4) of this section are made pursuant to the 2014 reauthorization of such federal act. The Legislature also finds that such reservations and allocations are designed to improve the quality of child care services and increase parental options for, and access to, high-quality child care and are in alignment with its comprehensive system of child care and early education programs.
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(1) Funds provided to the State of Nebraska pursuant to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq., as such act and sections existed on January 1, 2015, shall be used to implement the Quality Child Care Act, except as provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section.
(2) The Legislature finds that the reservations and allocations contained in subsections (3) and (4) of this section are made pursuant to the 2014 reauthorization of such federal act. The Legislature also finds that such reservations and allocations are designed to improve the quality of child care services and increase parental options for, and access to, high-quality child care and are in alignment with its comprehensive system of child care and early education programs.
(3)(a)(i) Beginning October 1, 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services shall increase its reservation of federal funds received from the child care and development block grant under such federal act from four percent to seven percent for activities relating to the quality of child care services.
(ii) Beginning October 1, 2017, the department shall increase its reservation of federal funds received from such block grant from seven percent to eight percent for activities relating to the quality of child care services.
(iii) Beginning October 1, 2019, the department shall increase its reservation of federal funds received from such block grant from eight percent to nine percent for activities relating to the quality of child care services.
(b) In addition to the percentages reserved in subdivision (3)(a) of this section for activities relating to the quality of child care services, beginning October 1, 2016, the department shall reserve three percent of the federal funds received from such block grant for activities relating to the quality of care for infants and toddlers.
(4)(a)(i) Beginning October 1, 2015, the increase from four percent to seven percent in reservation of federal funds for activities relating to the quality of child care services described in subdivision (3)(a)(i) of this section shall be allocated for quality rating and improvement system incentives and support under the Step Up to Quality Child Care Act.
(ii) Beginning October 1, 2017, the increase from seven percent to eight percent in the reservation of federal funds for activities relating to the quality of child care services described in subdivision (3)(a)(ii) of this section, plus the percentage allocated as described in subdivision (4)(a)(i) of this section, which together total four percent, shall be allocated for quality rating and improvement system incentives and support under the Step Up to Quality Child Care Act.
(iii) Beginning October 1, 2019, the increase from eight percent to nine percent in the reservation of federal funds for activities relating to the quality of child care services described in subdivision (3)(a)(iii) of this section, plus the percentage allocated as described in subdivision (4)(a)(ii) of this section, which together total five percent, shall be allocated for quality rating and improvement system incentives and support under the Step Up to Quality Child Care Act.
(iv) After the federal fiscal year beginning on October 1, 2019, five percent of federal funds provided to the State of Nebraska pursuant to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq., as such act and sections existed on January 1, 2015, which have been reserved for activities relating to the quality of child care services as described in subdivision (3)(a)(iii) of this section, shall be allocated for quality rating and improvement system incentives and support under the Step Up to Quality Child Care Act.
(b) Beginning October 1, 2016, the three-percent reservation of federal funds for activities relating to the quality of care for infants and toddlers described in subdivision (3)(b) of this section shall be allocated for providing grants to programs described in section 79-1104.02 that enter into agreements with child care providers.
(c) Funds distributed pursuant to this subsection shall comply with federal regulations contained in 45 C.F.R. 98.11, as such regulations existed on January 1, 2015.
(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services from allocating additional percentages of the child care and development block grant or other dollar amounts for activities relating to the quality of child care services or the quality of care for infants and toddlers.