For the past two legislative sessions, improving childcare access and affordability has been a top policy priority for the Indiana Chamber. Childcare has emerged as not only a key education and workforce issue, but arguably a critical state infrastructure challenge as well with employers consistently citing childcare, housing and transportation as their top external workforce barriers.
In partnership with a growing coalition of business leaders, advocates and policymakers, the Chamber has prompted meaningful action on several fronts. We’ve convinced state lawmakers to significantly raise the family eligibility threshold for Indiana’s “On My Way Pre-K” program and the federal Child Care and Development Fund. We’ve garnered support to establish new employer tax credits and matching grants to incentivize businesses to increase childcare capacity in their communities. And we’ve initiated new statutory requirements to streamline overly burdensome state regulations for childcare providers, to integrate objective measures for kindergarten readiness in the state’s “Paths to QUALITY” system and to create incentives for childcare providers to better compensate and upskill their workers.
Building on this momentum, we’re also working closely with Sen. Ed Charboneau (R-Valparaiso), chairman of the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services, to further shine a spotlight on this critical issue and create an increased sense of urgency to double down on and accelerate essential reforms to the state’s childcare system. To that end, the Chamber is convening conversations with its members and coalition partners to present a united front on this critical issue at the upcoming summer study committee meeting on August 9.
On a parallel front, the Chamber is partnering with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to ramp up for the launch and rollout of the state’s new $25 million Employer-Sponsored Childcare Fund this fall. Championed by the Chamber with input from its members, the program will provide seed funding for employers to create or expand employer-subsidized childcare. Funding is available to support employers in offering a range of childcare benefits, empowering them to choose what is most appropriate for their business and employees. Consistent with Indiana’s new employer childcare tax credit, the fund focuses on supporting small to mid-size businesses where data shows both the greatest need and opportunity for impact.
