A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to allow access to any child in the state seeking to participate in the north carolina prekindergarten (nc pre‑k) program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education, the sum of fifteen million fifty thousand dollars ($15,050,000) recurring for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year and the sum of twenty‑five million two hundred thousand dollars ($25,200,000) recurring for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year to provide funds to phase in the slots needed for any child in this State to participate in the North Carolina Prekindergarten (NC Pre‑K) program. Funds appropriated under this section are allocated as follows:
(1)	The sum of ten million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($10,150,000) for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year and the sum of twenty million three hundred thousand dollars ($20,300,000) for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year for new NC Pre‑K slots.
(2)	The sum of four million nine hundred thousand dollars ($4,900,000) for each year of the 2019‑2021 fiscal biennium for administrative needs to expand the NC Pre‑K program.
SECTION 2.  Beginning with the 2019‑2020 school calendar year, except for requiring that the NC Pre‑K program serve children who are four years of age on or before August 31 of the program year, the Division shall not otherwise require that a child seeking to participate in the NC Pre‑K program meet eligibility requirements.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019.