Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Child Care topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Panel advances bill offering no‑cost child care to licensed early childhood workers
Summary
House Bill 1849 advanced 5-0; the bill would provide no-cost child care to workers in licensed early-childhood programs as a targeted recruitment and retention incentive; sponsors said prior fiscal estimates were $18 million and they have worked to lower that estimate to $10 million (estimate subject to change).
A House committee on Oct. 12 advanced House Bill 1849 by a 5-0 vote. Representative Schreiber presented the measure as a child-care workforce recruitment and retention proposal that would offer no-cost child care to workers employed in licensed early-childhood programs.
Schreiber said the measure is narrowly targeted to licensed child-care workers to increase recruitment and retention, which in turn could expand child-care slots in areas with shortages. When asked about cost, the presenter recalled a prior fiscal estimate of $18 million and said staff had worked to reduce the projected cost, noting the estimate had been reduced to roughly $10 million; the presenter said further work would be completed before later committee stages and that caps and qualification limits could reduce the expense.
The committee recorded five ayes and zero nays and declared HB 1849 passed out of committee.
