Councilors defend rejection of childcare quality contract despite federal and state consequences

Last month, New Hampshire Executive Councilors John Stephen and Joe Kenney published a column in NH Journal explaining their decision to vote down a childcare quality contract in favor of funding the childcare workforce grant. Since then, as new information has clarified the state’s inability to fund the workforce grant, they both said they stand [

By: Maya Mitchell

Outlets: NH Bulletin

Published: August 10, 2026

Words: 1,632

Last Updated: 12 hours, 28 minutes ago


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Last month, New Hampshire Executive Councilors John Stephen and Joe Kenney published a column in NH Journal explaining their decision to vote down a childcare quality contract in favor of funding the childcare workforce grant. Since then, as new information has clarified the state’s inability to fund the workforce grant, they both said they stand by their decision.

On May 6, the Department of Health and Human Services brought forth a contract that …

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