The 95th General Assembly of the Arkansas State Legislature is underway, and Excel by Eight is proud to have a seat at the table, advocating for the needs of young children and families across the state. Early childhood development is already a key focus, with several related bills filed for consideration. Here are a few we are watching.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
HB1435: The Arkansas Department of Commerce is proposing a comprehensive legislative package to strengthen economic development in the state. At the forefront is a child care tax credit, underscoring the economic benefits of expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care for working families. Read a summary of the full package in Talk Business & Politics.
One key proposal is HB1435, which introduces a tax incentive for businesses supporting child care options for their employees. Sponsored by Senator Jane English, Senator Missy Irvin and Representative Brandon Achor, this bill would replace an existing child care tax incentive program, which has received only one application in the past 30 years.
The proposed legislation provides tax credits not only to businesses that operate their own child care facilities but also to those that incur expenses related to providing child care for their employees. These eligible expenses include making payments to a licensed child care facility that provides child care to employees as well as contributions to employees’ dependent care assistance program (DCAP) accounts.
The bill aims to encourage more businesses to invest in child care solutions that support working families and the state’s economic growth by broadening access to tax credits.
SB148: Senator Jane English filed this bill, which as its title notes, concerns membership in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. We are working closely with her to support our state’s licensed child care providers.
MATERNAL HEALTH
HB1252: This bill, filed by Representative Lee Johnson, establishes Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement for doulas who provide prenatal, birth, and postpartum support, which makes the profession more financially sustainable for practicing doulas and more accessible to families. It also establishes a certification process for certified community-based doulas to advance the profession of birth work. Expanding access to doulas is proven to lead to better birth outcomes, lower maternal and infant mortality rates, and an overall improvement in the quality of care.
Act 124: Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed HB1427 into law on February 20, making it Act 124. Sponsored by Representative Aaron Pilkington and Senator Missy Irvin, along with its companion bill SB213, this legislation supports the implementation of the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, a plan to improve maternal health in Arkansas from prenatal to postpartum care. The law requires presumptive eligibility for Medicaid for pregnant women, provides coverage for services like blood pressure monitors and glucose monitoring to help prevent some of the leading causes of maternal mortality, and authorizes Medicaid reimbursement for doulas and community health workers.
STRENGTHENING RESOURCE GRIDS
SB59: The Arkansas House Education Committee advanced a bill that will make free breakfast available to all public school students in Arkansas, regardless of their eligibility for federally funded free or reduced-price meals. By reducing financial strain on families, free school breakfast functions as both an income support and a means of ensuring access to healthy food – two key elements in connecting families and communities to the resources children need to thrive. Expanding school meal availability brings us one step closer to strengthening the resource grid and improving development outcomes for Arkansas children.
We will continue to closely monitor the progress of these bills that ensure every child in our state has the foundation they need to thrive.