Corporations would get tax credits for child care and subsidies for tuition costs would also be expanded under the bipartisan bill.
JUNEAU — An Alaska House Republican’s child care bill advanced on Thursday towards a final vote on the House floor.was introduced last year by Anchorage GOP Rep. Julie Coulombe as a way to give corporations child care tax credits, and to subsidize tuition costs for more children.
A handful of Democrats and independents signed on last year to co-sponsor Coulombe’s measure, which advanced on Thursday without objection from the powerful House Finance Committee. The child care bill would expand the income threshold for families that can receive subsidies for tuition costs. The state Department of HealthFamilies who receive the subsidies would have a maximum co-pay of 7% of their monthly incomes on child care under the measure. The federal government currently pays all the child care subsidies received by low-income families in Alaska. Under Coulombe’s bill, the stateCoulombe said the bill’s price tag has frustrated some progressive legislators as too small to see major changes for the child care sector, and too expensive for some of her conservative Republican colleagues.“I have concerns on both sides of the aisle, so that means I’m in the middle,” she said on Friday. “It’s good.” Rep. Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage, chats with Rep. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. Under HB 89, publicly-traded corporations in Alaska, like ConocoPhillips and Walmart, would be eligible for dollar-for-dollar tax credits to subsidize their employees’ child care costs. They could also get tax credits to establish their own child care centers or to make donations to existing providers.it’s not known how many corporations would want to participate in the program, meaning it’s not possible to estimate how much those tax credits would cost the state treasury.“And as long as Alaska’s energy, housing and grocery prices keep growing, parents — single and married — will have to work to keep up,” she said to the House Finance Committee. Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy established a child care task force last year to make recommendations to improve the sector. The task force’s first report was released in December with calls from advocates forThe child care measure has attracted some bipartisan interest. Anchorage Democratic Rep. Zack Fields, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said on Friday that there is broad support for the measure in the sharply divided state House. After the bill advanced on Thursday, Fairbanks Republican Rep. Frank Tomaszewski congratulated Coulombe for “the blood, sweat and the tears that you have poured into this.” Rep. Alyse Galvin, an Anchorage independent, supports the child care bill passing into law this year, but wanted the state to directly subsidize child care providers. Last year, legislators approved a $7.5-million temporary salary boost for child care workers. Coulombe said she hoped to see HB 89 on the House floor soon. After advancing from the House, the child care bill would need approval from the state Senate to pass onto the governor’s desk for his consideration.Sean Maguire is a politics and general assignment reporter for the Anchorage Daily News based in Juneau. He previously reported from Juneau for Alaska's News Source. Contact him at smaguire@adn.com.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
House Speaker Says Senate Immigration and Ukraine Funding Deal is Dead on Arrival in the HouseHouse Speaker Mike Johnson warns that the Senate immigration and Ukraine funding deal will not be considered in the House if passed by the Senate. He states that the Senate plan, as rumored, would have been rejected anyway. Johnson emphasizes the need for core legislative reforms to address the border crisis.
Read more »
Alaska House of Representatives pass voter registration reform billHouse Bill 129 passed and will now head to the Senate for revision.
Read more »
Alejandro Mayorkas survives House impeachment vote as GOP lawmakers defectRepublicans targeted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Read more »
House fails to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in major blow to GOPThe GOP-led House on Tuesday narrowly voted against the impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
Read more »
How a botched impeachment laid bare a GOP House that cannot functionOnce Mike Johnson’s speakership was merely implausible. Now it looks incompetent.
Read more »
Republicans knock House GOP leadership after 2 failed votes“Getting rid of Speaker McCarthy has officially turned into an unmitigated disaster,” Rep. Thomas Massie said.
Read more »