(

a) There is hereby established a project known as the California Child Care Initiative Project. It is the intent of the Legislature to promote and foster the project in cooperation with private corporations and local governments. The objective of the project is to increase the availability of quality childcare programs in the state. (

b) For purposes of this section, the California Child Care Initiative Project means a project to expand the role and functions of selected resource and referral agencies in activities including needs assessment, recruitment and screening of providers, technical assistance, and staff development and training, in order to aid communities in increasing their capability in the number of childcare spaces available and the quality of childcare services offered. (

c) The department shall allocate all state funds appropriated for the California Child Care Initiative Project for the purpose of making grants to those childcare resource and referral agencies that have been selected as pilot sites for the project. (

d) The grants to the sites made available by the project shall be composed of a combination of state funds or a combination of state funds and other funds. (

e) The department shall develop a database for the project. (f)

(1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with

Section 11340) of Part of Division of Title of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer the changes made to this

section by the act that added this subdivision by all-county letter or similar directive until regulations are adopted.

(2) The department shall adopt regulations implementing the changes made to this

section by the act that added this subdivision no later than July 1, 2025.