A proposed Montana bill would make the state's Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program more accessible and affordable.
The proposal comes as lawmakers are working to address Montana's growing childcare access and affordability issues. They are looking to take advantage of tax credits that would provide another avenue of relief for parents, childcare workers, and employers.
Making Child Care More Accessible and Affordable
Rep. Jonathan Karlen introduced a pair of proposals this month that both try to use an income-based state assistance program to help Montana families. This is the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program that could address the rising costs of child care across the state.
House Bill 456 would allow all childcare workers at licensed facilities who work a certain number of hours to qualify for the program, regardless of their income. On the other hand, House Bill 457 plans to reduce the family income eligibility threshold from 185% of the federal poverty level to 85% of the state median income, according to the Montana Free Press.
The two measures also come with budget requests from the state General Fund worth $5.5 million and $17 million, respectively. Karlen said on Feb. 21, 2025, that one of the biggest problems that childcare providers face is recruitment difficulties and keeping professionals.
The representative said this is mainly due to the low wages of childcare workers across the state. Karlen then referenced a 2023 report from the state Department of Labor and Industry that found the average childcare worker earned $23,000. He said that even employees in retail stores can earn more than that amount.
Amanda Frickle added that the proposed bills resolve the tension between allowing officials to pay childcare workers more and not putting the burden on parents. The Daily Montanan reported that she called this a win-win-win situation for workers, families, and businesses.
Thousands of Children Enrolled Under the Program
House Bill 456 comes as last year, there were an estimated 4,500 children who used Best Beginnings every month, based on data from the Department of Public Health and Human Services.
The Montana Budget and Policy Center revealed that 6,500 children were enrolled in the program over a year. Karlen noted that 66,000 Montanans do not fully participate in the workforce due to insufficient child care.
Economic data supported his claims, as the Bureau of Business and Economic Research estimated that the detrimental effect of inadequate child care on Montana businesses was around $54.6 million, as per The Pinnacle Gazette.
