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Email Alaska Senators: Restore Funding and Pass The Child Care Bills!

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Take a Stand for Child Care!

Send an email to members of the Alaska Senate. Tell them to restore the devastating cuts to child care funding and to support SB 95 and SB 96, the child care bills!

Cutting Funding For Families and Critical Programs

The Senate has cut more than $13.8 million for child care assistance and child care grants in its new version of the operating budget. The committee also reduced funding for other critical programs that serve children in Alaska. Learn more about the extent of the cuts in this article.

Here's a partial list of what has been cut:

  • $7.725 million Child Care Grants: Critical funds for programs that support early educator wages and operational costs. Helps fill the gap between the state subsidy and the actual cost of care.

  • $6.081 million Child Care Assistance. Thousands of Alaskan families will be unable to access affordable child care if this is cut.

  • $5.7 million Alaska Infant Learning Program. This long-overdue funding helps the program catch up with inflation costs and expands its eligibility to serve more children with developmental delays and disabilities.

  • $500,000 Parents as Teachers Program: Increases home visits and developmental screenings.

  • $200,000 for the Best Beginnings Imagination Library: This popular program, founded by Dolly Parton, provides free books to children under the age of 5.

    The Child Care Bills Must Pass This Year!

In addition to opposing the dramatic budget cuts, we also need to show support for the child care bills, which make child care more affordable, recognizes the actual cost of care, and encourages business investment in care.

Last year, the Alaska Legislature made a historic investment in child care by passing the Child Care Bill (HB 89), which was included in Senate Bill 189. This legislation expanded access to affordable child care for thousands of Alaskan families by increasing the number of children eligible for Child Care Assistance. It also created tax credits for businesses that support their employees’ child care needs.

Although the bill passed and was signed into law, a court challenge unrelated to child care has paused its implementation. Because of this, the Legislature needs to pass the child care provisions again this session.

This year, the bill has been split into two separate pieces:

  • Senate Bill 95 focuses on expanding eligibility for Child Care Assistance.

  • Senate Bill 96 focuses on providing tax credits for businesses that invest in child care.

Both bills are scheduled for their first hearing in the Senate Finance Committee this Friday. With less than 30 days left in this year's legislative session, now is the time to make your voice heard.

Passing these two bills will support the $6.1 million in additional funding that was already included in the Governor's budget before the Senate budget cuts.

See thread's letter of support for the child care bills here.

Let's urge Senators to restore the funding cuts and make child care more affordable and accessible by passing SB 95 and SB 96! Send an email today using the form on the right. Click the pencil image at the bottom left of the letter to edit.

TIP:

You can add a personal sentence at the beginning of your email explaining why child care, early education, and affordability in care are important to you. Click the pencil image at the bottom left of the form letter to edit.

Thank you for sharing your voice during this critical time!

Reach out to nmoe@threadalaska.org or (907) 265-3122 with any questions or comments.

Act now!

This campaign has concluded.