HB18-1208 (Duran & Winter/Martinez Humenik) Expand Child Care Expenses Credit
Summary
This bill expands a credit available to families who pay child care expenses. Currently, Colorado offers a state tax credit for individuals making $60,000 per year or less equal to a percentage of the individual’s federal tax credit for child care expenses. The size of the credit is dependent on income level. This bill, as amended in the Senate and approved in the House, would allow currently eligible individuals to claim a credit equal to 50 percent of the amount of the federal credit claimed by the individual.
Position
The Children’s Campaign strongly supports this bill. Nearly two-thirds of Colorado kids under the age of six are growing up in families where all available parents are working. As a result, child care is a reality for today’s Colorado families. This credit helps families pay for safe and affordable childcare so they can work. This bill would expand access to this credit to allow more working families in Colorado to benefit, and it would also increase the size of the credit, making a more substantial impact for Colorado families who are paying child care expenses. Notably, while expanding the credit for those currently eligible, it also extends eligibility to more moderate income earners, addressing the fact that most support for affording child care falls off just as families approach self-sufficiency
Current Status
Passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 28-7, was approved by the House, and now heads to the governor’s desk for signature.
Previous Statuses
February 9, 2018
Assigned to the House Finance Committee
March 9, 2018
The House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee heard testimony on the bill and laid it over for action at a later date
May 4, 2018
Passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 38-26 and headed to the Senate, where it passed the Senate Finance Committee unanimously. It now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
