The Missouri House took the first steps towards addressing the state’s child care crisis with a package of legislation aimed at increasing access to affordable day care facilities. Lawmakers approved tax credits that could stabilize the industry and endorsed a plan to create temporary licensing to encourage more facilities to open. This comes as business groups estimate that Missouri’s economy loses $1.35 billion annually due to a lack of affordable child care.
A survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children found insufficient public investment in child care, resulting in higher costs for parents and low wages for providers. The state program designed to provide subsidies to facilities serving low-income Missourians has been delayed due to software issues.
The Director of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood resigned, leading to Kelli Jones taking over. Another bill approved last year did not advance due to dysfunction in the Senate. Opponents of the current legislation express concerns about expanding state involvement in child care.
The proposed legislation would offer tax credits for contributions supporting child care programs, employer-provided child care credits, and credits for providers looking to expand or renovate their facilities. Supporters argue that boosting child care offerings is essential for economic growth, comparing child care to critical infrastructure like roads and utilities. The House also approved a bill allowing DESE to grant temporary child care licenses to providers who meet certain requirements, emphasizing that the temporary licenses would only be for licensed providers.
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