| 1997 Fiscal Review Appropriations - Family and Early Childhood Education |
The 1998 Family and Early Childhood Education Supplemental Budget Bill was vetoed by the Governor. The bill appropriated $21.8 million in General Fund expenditures for basic sliding fee child care, Head Start, transitional housing, emergency services grants, and child care development. Tax credits for child care were expanded and made available to a larger group of qualifying parents. The veto message from the Governor cited historic expansions in these programs in earlier sessions as a reason for vetoing this bill.
The 1998 Special Session included appropriations for some of the programs in this vetoed bill. A one-time appropriation of $3.25 million was approved for the basic sliding fee child care program. Emergency services grants (for homeless shelters) received $300,000 for FY 1999. Transitional housing programs also received $300,000 for FY 1999. Lead hazard reduction received $100,000. Head Start programs for children ages 0 to 3 received $250,000, for programs jointly operated with other early childhood programs.