This week Bill 38-21 was introduced to the Montgomery County Council. If enacted, this legislation would require the Director of the Department of Finance to create and administer a Local Business Child Care Grant Program within the Economic Development Fund.
This bill is a response to the Economic Development Platform for Montgomery County (Resolution No. 19-300) adopted by the Council in 2019. The Resolution stated that the Council would invest in opportunities to:
Decrease the cost of doing business in the County
Promote the County’s businesses and business climate
Facilitate the attraction and retention of strategic industries
Expand entrepreneurial programs and services to create new businesses
The bill aims to address pillar number one of the Economic Development Platform. It requires the Director of the Department of Finance to create and administer a Local Business Child Care Grant Program within the Economic Development Fund. By helping employees with childcare, the County hopes to decrease the costs of doing business in the County and attract and retain businesses. The bill also would support businesses’ efforts to subsidize child care for their employees. Local businesses and nonprofits with 50 or fewer employees would be able to apply for a County grant to match up to 50% of the employee’s childcare contributions to their Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). It should be noted that this match is only available for employees making less than $125,000.
Any unused or improperly used grant funds are to required to be remitted back to the County. There would be an annual report to the County Council by the Executive to discuss the program’s outcomes.
A public hearing for Expedited Bill 38-21 is tentatively scheduled for November 9th at 1:30 p.m.Please contact the bill’s primary sponsors, Council Vice-President Albornoz and Councilmember Navarro, for more information about this bill.
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