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HB 6043

Children: child care; tri-share child care program and fund; establish. Amends 1973 PA 116 (MCL 722.111 - 722.128) by adding secs. 6b & 6c.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg VanWoerkom

HB 6043 creates a voluntary Tri-Share program and CareShare for employer–employee cost-sharing to fund affordable child care, with a state fund, rules, and reporting.

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Bill Summary · HB 6043

Summary of HB 6043 (2025-2026) – Michigan

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes the Tri-Share child care program and an associated Tri-Share child care fund within Michigan, building on a prior child care pilot project funded under 2020 legislation.
  • Creates a voluntary CareShare arrangement as an alternative or complement to the Tri-Share program, allowing employer–employee cost-sharing for qualified child care expenses.
  • Aims to expand access to affordable child care by encouraging employer participation and providing nonprofit or small business structures to administer supports.

Key provisions and changes

  1. Tri-Share child care program ( Sec. 6b )

    • Establishes the Tri-Share program within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (DLEAP).
    • Sets eligibility criteria for employers to participate; an employer must cover at least 1/3 of an employee’s child care costs, but may contribute more (up to full costs).
    • Creates the Tri-Share fund within the State Treasury.
    • The fund can receive money/assets from various sources, must be invested, and earns interest that stays in the fund (no lapse to the general fund).
    • DLEAP administers the fund for auditing purposes and to administer the program and fund existing child care facilitator hubs.
    • Can fund new facilitator hubs if funding suffices to support all existing hubs; adding new hubs must increase participating counties or serve statewide employers.
    • A child care facilitator receiving funds must be a nonprofit, LLC, C corp, S corp, or sole proprietor.
    • Importantly, participation by employers is voluntary; the bill does not require employers to contribute.

  2. CareShare arrangement ( Sec. 6c )

    • Establishes a voluntary employer–employee cost-sharing option for qualified child care expenses. Employers contribute not less than 1/3 of the qualified expense; the employee covers the rest. No state subsidy under CareShare.
    • Employers on a wait list for Tri-Share due to funding limitations may participate in CareShare, with the same administrative requirements, but without state subsidy.
    • Before finalizing CareShare, the department must set a process to determine if employees are eligible for existing state child care subsidies; employers must inform employees and obtain confirmation from the employee or department before starting CareShare.
    • Prohibits state subsidy for arrangements that receive CareShare support.
    • Department must promulgate rules ensuring CareShare is structured, documented, and reported consistently with the program; participation must be uniform and not contingent on union status, seniority, hours, etc., except as required by law.
    • A CareShare arrangement may not receive a state subsidy; a provider cannot receive both CareShare contributions and a state subsidy.
    • Prohibits retaliation against employees for participating or requesting CareShare; provides enforcement options including up to $1,000 individual civil fines, reinstatement and back wages, and potential judicial review.
    • Requires an annual public report to the governor and legislative chairs detailing:
      • Number of employers, employees, and children participating.
      • Average employer and employee contributions.
      • Provider participation.
      • Administrative costs to the department.
    • Clarifies that CareShare is not meant to expand state subsidy obligations beyond the Tri-Share program.

Who and what is affected

  • Employers: Encouraged to participate in Tri-Share or CareShare; required to contribute at least 1/3 (Tri-Share) or to adhere to uniform administration (CareShare) and eligibility processes.
  • Employees and children: Eligible employees can participate in either program; contributions determined by employer and program rules; protections against tipping into discriminatory practices.
  • Child care providers/facilitators: May receive funding via Tri-Share hubs; must be nonprofit or specified corporate forms if receiving funds.
  • State departments: Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential administers the programs, audits Tri-Share, and issues rules for CareShare; must produce annual public reports.
  • Funding structures: Creation of the Tri-Share fund and ongoing management of the fund and hubs; potential expansion of hubs across counties or statewide reach.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced and referred to Appropriations on June 4, 2026.
  • Programs are designed to be implemented within the department’s authority; annual reporting begins after program adoption.
  • The bill specifies funding controls, non-lapse provisions for the Tri-Share fund, and audit/reporting requirements to ensure transparency.
  • CareShare includes a wait-list path, subject to funding availability, and an enforcement/regulatory framework with penalties and remedies.

Overall impact

HB 6043 seeks to broaden access to affordable child care by:
- Providing employer cost-sharing incentives through a formal Tri-Share program and fund.
- Offering a parallel CareShare model to facilitate immediate employer–employee collaboration when Tri-Share funding is constrained.
- Building an ongoing governance and reporting framework to monitor participation, costs, providers, and administrative overhead.
- Ensuring protections against discrimination and establishing clear compliance and accountability measures.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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