Thursday, July 7, 2022
An Act To Expand Access To High-Quality, Affordable Early Education And Care
Today, the State Senate will debate an important bill, Senate 2883, An Act To Expand Access To High-Quality, Affordable Early Education And Care. The average annual cost for infant care in Massachusetts is more than $20,000 with many families paying 20-40% of their income for childcare. This bill will make more families eligible for child care aid, create new loan forgiveness and scholarship programs for early education workers, and build up supports for providers who offer access to subsidized families.
I have offered several amendments for the debate including those which will require that available slots be made publicly available via a searchable database on the Web to make it easier for families to secure placement; guidance for financial supports, and a child care tax credit plan. You can watch the bill and amendments here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2973 and watch the session in real-time here: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Sessions/Detail/4208
