Statehouse News

     This week, State Representative Andy McKean of Anamosa released a four-point plan to make child care more affordable and accessible to Iowa families.

     “Over the last several years, the cost of child care has continued to rise while the number of child care slots available to parents has dropped dramatically,” said Rep. McKean. “We need to work together to make sure child care is our top priority this session, that means new grants to open new child care facilities, helping parents with the high cost of child care, and partnering with small businesses to expand child care to their employees.”

     The four-point plan includes:

     • Grants to expand or open a new licensed childcare facility to end childcare deserts and give families more options for childcare. The new Child Care Center and Child Development Home Grant Fund would provide direct financial assistance to startup or expand licensed childcare facilities. 

     • Partner with small business to expand childcare to encourage more small businesses to provide child care benefits to their employees through tax credits. The benefits include building or fixing an existing structure at or near the small business or operating or leasing a building to operate a child care center for their employees. 

     • Expand childcare assistance to another 7,300 children by increasing the childcare assistance (CCA) program. CCA is available to families with income less than 145 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), which is $30,132 for a family of three in Iowa.

     • Expand childcare and dependent care tax credit to more families. Currently, the credit is only available for families with an income under $45,000 and it still falls well short of the actual cost of childcare. The plan will double the tax credit for low-income families and expand it to more families who still struggle to pay for childcare.

     To learn more about the plan, log on to www.iowahouse.org/childcare.