Summary:

 House Bill 227 (HB 227):  This legislation amends the Local Economic Development Act to include childcare facilities as qualifying entities eligible for public support.  

Legislation Overview:

 House Bill 227 (HB 227):  The following is a breakdown of the key changes and provisions:

1.	Expansion of Definitions: The amendment extends the definition of "qualifying entities" under the Local Economic Development Act to include childcare facilities. This encompasses both family-home-based and center-based programs that are licensed to provide care to infants, toddlers, and children.
2.	Scope of Qualifying Entities: The definition of a qualifying entity, which previously included industries like manufacturing, telecommunications, and agricultural markets, now also recognizes childcare facilities. This change acknowledges the economic role of childcare services in the community.

3.	Public Support for Child Care Facilities: Public support, which can include land, infrastructure, technical assistance, and financial incentives, will now be available to childcare facilities. This support aims to facilitate the establishment, expansion, or improvement of these facilities.
4.	Job Definition Modification: The definition of a "new full-time economic base job" is modified to exempt childcare facilities from certain requirements that apply to other entities. For example, childcare facilities do not need to generate the majority of their revenue from out-of-state sources to qualify their jobs as contributing to the economic base.
5.	Promotion of Economic Development: By including childcare facilities as qualifying entities, the amendment recognizes the critical role of childcare in economic development. It supports working families and enables parents to participate more fully in the workforce, thereby fostering broader economic growth.

This amendment reflects a policy shift towards integrating essential services like childcare into the broader economic strategy, emphasizing the importance of such services in supporting economic and community development.