HB22-1010 (Sirota & Van Beber/Buckner & Kirkmeyer) Early Childhood Educator Income Tax Credit
Summary
This bill creates a refundable income tax credit for an early childhood educator who meets specified income and eligibility requirements for at least 6 months of the taxable year. The bill specifies quality standards for child care programs, with the amount of credit an early childhood educator receives being dependent on their credentialing level.
Position
The Colorado Children’s Campaign supports this bill. Colorado’s recovery hinges on ensuring parents can return to work. Access to child care is a critical step for returning to work and disruptions in care arrangements or inability to find child care harms workforce participation, especially among women and people of color. Despite such demand, many providers are struggling to keep their doors open and, sadly, many have closed their doors permanently in large part due to the crisis in staffing. The Early Childhood Educator Income Tax Credit will encourage improvements in providers’ quality, improve compensation of the early childhood workforce, and increases access to child care providers for those facing the greatest barriers.
Current Status
In its final concurrence vote, the bill passed out of the House on a vote of 52-13. It now heads to the governor for his signature.
Previous Statuses
May 6, 2022
The bill passed its third reading in the Senate on a vote of 30-3. It now heads to the governor for his signature.
May 1, 2022
The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Finance Committee. It now heads to Appropriations.
April 22, 2022
The bill passed its third reading in the House on a vote of 47-14.
February 4, 2022
The bill passed out of the House Education Committee on a bipartisan vote of 8-1. Melissa Mares, our Senior Policy Analyst for Early Childhood, testified in support. The bill now heads to the House Appropriations Committee.
January 21, 2022
The bill was introduced and was assigned to the House Education Committee.
