(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall establish a grant program to expand child care in child care deserts. Grants must be used for one-time costs associated with the opening of a child care site, including program costs, for providers who are newly licensed or are in the process of becoming licensed.

(2) The department must use the child care industry insights dashboard from the child care industry assessment as a tool to identify areas in which additional investments are needed in order to expand existing child care capacity to meet family demand and reduce child care deserts.

(3) This section expires June 30, 2026.

Short title—Findings—Intent—Conflict with federal requirements—2021 c 199: See notes following RCW 43.216.770.