Indiana legislators send bill addressing childcare costs to governor

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers voted Wednesday to send legislation to the governor’s desk aimed at making childcare more affordable as part of their promise to address the issue this legislative session.

Indiana is among a growing number of Republican-led states proposing legislative solutions to tackle the availability and affordability of child care, with a few measures rolling back regulations on the industry nearing passage in the the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

GOP leaders including Gov. Eric Holcomb listed improving access and affordability as a top priority for this session. However, lawmakers’ options were limited in a non-budget year. Many Democrats have repeatedly said lawmakers must return to the issue next year when legislators will be charged with creating the state’s biannual budget.

State Senators gave final approval almost unanimously Wednesday to a bill expanding eligibility for a child care subsidy program for employees in the field with kids of their own. The bill would also lower the minimum age of child care workers to 18 and, in some instances, to 16.

Child care organizations and other business groups support the proposal. Holcomb does as well, and has included parts of it in his own annual agenda.

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