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68th Legislative Session Wins for Kids!
The 2023 Legislative Session was an opportunity for Montana’s lawmakers to make a long-overdue investment in our children, small businesses and the state economy. We saw an unprecedented number of early childhood-related bills this session and worked to support a variety of legislation focused on tax credits, early learning programs & expanding quality child care in Montana.
It was an intense and challenging 87 days, but we would like to acknowledge some wins! We are celebrating the following bills that align with our policy agenda and made it across the finish line:
- HB 187 (Rep. Alice Buckley) establishes that child care is a residential use of property, aims to help increase the number of child care providers in the state and boosts access to care for families
- HB 287 (Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy) helps preserve the cultural integrity of Montana’s tribes through Indian language preservation and it recognizes early learning providers as partners in a tribe’s long-term strategy in dual language development
- HB 317 (Rep. Windy Boy) provides for the Montana Indian Child Welfare Act, codifying the practices needed to ensure American Indian children in our state remain within their communities whenever possible
- HB 352 (Rep. Brian Barker) provides targeted, optional interventions to support 3rd grade reading proficiency - responding directly to the needs of children, families, school districts and communities across Montana
- HB 648 (Rep. Buckley) will lower families' child care costs and increase availability by expanding the Best Beginnings scholarship program and reducing copays for families
(Please consider sending thank you notes to the above bill sponsors for their efforts - legislator contact info can be found on the legislature web site.)
To see these bills move through with bipartisan support says a lot about the common commitment we all share towards children and families in our state. This legislation will result in more Montana kids having access to quality early care and education experiences, more families able to participate in the workforce, and more partners working together across our state to prioritize kids and build a stronger economy.
We are also celebrating you -- thank you for attending our weekly update calls, watching our Instagram videos, engaging with your legislators, providing testimony, and for attending our Have A Heart For Kids Day event at the capitol.
While this session resulted in some steps in the right direction, we know there is still work to be done in Montana. As we have seen in other states, it can take years to build the momentum necessary to make the greatest impact. Join us during the interim as we track committees and follow issues related to children and families at the state and national level.
As always, please reach out to any of us at Zero to Five Montana if you want to get involved during the interim legislative session, or have any questions!
2023 Session Recap
We held our first Have a Heart for Kids Day at the Montana State Capitol on Feb. 2, 2023, and it was an incredible opportunity to engage with parents, partners, friends (and young children!) along with our legislators and the governor’s policy staff.
We heard remarks from Sen. Shannon O’Brien, Sen. Dan Salomon, Rep. Brad Barker and Rep. Laurie Bishop on the importance of workforce, and early care and education policies. We also had the opportunity to engage with many other elected officials who joined us for conversation in the rotunda.
In the News
- Montana families need both the child tax credit and public investment in child care - Montana Standard (Zero to Five Montana with the Center for Law & Social Policy)
- Lawmakers still have time to prioritize children & families - Missourian (Zero to Five Montana Guest Shot)
- A GOP governor proposed a child tax credit. Democrats helped sink it - The New Republic
- Governor's office, bill sponsor say they're open to phase out for proposed Montana child tax credit - Daily Montanan
Coming up!
Save the Date for the Spring 2024 Early Childhood Policy Summit. Stay tuned for more information!
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities with
First Children's Finance
