- Senate Democrats propose a plan to support families, including a working parent tax credit and expansion of the Rx Kids program.
- The plan includes up to $5,500 annually for each young child and $1,500 during pregnancy, with $500 a month for up to a year.
- Senate Democrats emphasize the growing financial struggles of families due to inflation and rising childcare costs.
- Republicans are also prioritizing affordability, with bills to remove sales tax on toddler items and create childcare savings accounts.
- Both parties aim to address family-related financial challenges, requiring cooperation between the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate.
As the cost of living impacts families in our neighborhoods, lawmakers say: We hear you.
"We need to get serious about making parents a priority and building on an economy that supports them," State Senator Kevin Hertel said.
It's a plan Senate Democrats say will help support families and their children.
"Between inflation and the skyrocketing cost of childcare, the cost of raising a child is more expensive now than ever," Hertel said.
The plan introduces a working parent tax credit of up to $5,500 a year for each young child and expands Rx Kids — a program that will give $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 a month for up to a year.
"The reality right now is that a lot of families are struggling just to get by, across all of our communities," Hertel said.
But they aren't the only party with priorities focusing on families.
"We have an affordability bill that helps with child costs, a big issue for parents," State Representative Kathy Schmaltz said.
State Representative Kathy Schmaltz of Jackson is hearing from her neighbors and introducing bills to make changes.
Her co-sponsored bills would remove the sales tax on toddler and infant items, create childcare savings accounts, and establish a state child tax credit.
"People can't afford groceries these days, childcare costs like we're talking about — we need to help in any way we can to cut down on trying to afford life. It shouldn't be this hard," Schmaltz said.
With a Republican-led House and a Democratic-led Senate, both chambers need to work together to get things done.
And while we don't know yet where the money would come from, we expect to learn that answer when the bills go to committee.
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