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Senate approves waiver request to pilot monthly payments for dependent-care tax credits
Summary
The Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 64 to direct the Department of Human Services to pursue a federal waiver to allow monthly payments of certain dependent‑care tax credits in a time-limited pilot aimed at improving household cash flow for families.
Senator Elizabeth Hayden, sponsor of Senate Bill 64, told colleagues the bill directs the Oregon Department of Human Services to work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on a waiver to allow monthly payments of certain dependent‑care (childcare) tax credits as a pilot project for qualifying families.
Hayden said federal pandemic-era changes that included monthly payments produced large reductions in poverty and child poverty in published statistics. “You can find on OLISS the results of that from the socio‑economic housing statistics division of the U.S. Census Bureau,” Hayden said, citing survey figures she summarized on the floor that showed overall poverty falling from 9.8% to 5.3% and child poverty for ages 6–17 from 8.9% to 5.2% during the pandemic period she referenced.
The bill asks DHS to apply for a CMS waiver so the monthly payment approach can be tried again in Oregon, limited to childcare tax credits and structured as a pilot. Hayden described the change as intended to improve household cash flow for families that currently receive the benefit as an annual lump sum.
There was no floor debate after the sponsor’s remarks. The Senate voted on third reading; the clerk recorded the measure as having received a constitutional majority and declared Senate Bill 64 passed.
Votes at a glance: The clerk announced 27 ayes; senators Frederick, Linthicum and Star were excused for that vote.
The measure now moves to the next steps in the legislative process as required by Senate procedure.
